Full Metal Panic Goddess Collision
by IwriteThings
Summary: Book 2: Sousuke and Urd return to continue their adventures. Sousuke struggles with family obligations while Urd deals with murderous ex-girlfriends from Sousuke's past.
1. Ah! A Supposed Goddess Is Lost?

"If you hit me one more time, I will have you out on your ass faster than you can blink," Yamada Akihiko growled as he stared at the young blue haired woman before him.

"Listen Aki-Kun!" Chidori Kaname barked as she stared defiantly at her new boyfriend. She held a rolled up news paper in her fist with a white knuckle grip. "I saw you looking at that woman at the coffee shop."

"I wasn't looking at any one you crazy bitch." Akihiko threw his hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh as he shook his head. He could feel his blood pressure soaring through the roof as he turned around and began to head for the bedroom to his house. He regretted allowing Kaname to move in.

A swift crack made Akihiko freeze in his tracks. He turned slowly to look at Kaname. She was still standing in a pantomime of her strike. She had struck him with all of her might in the back of the head with the rolled up news paper. She allowed tears to drip from her eyes.

"Sousuke never called me a bitch," she spoke softly before allowing her arms to fall to her sides dejectedly. "He never once disrespected me like that." She began to sob before allowing the paper to fall from her hands to the floor.

Akihiko turned back towards the room and made his way to the closet. He grabbed a single pink briefcase style carry on bag and began yanking her clothing down off of the hangers. He stuffed the bag full of clothing and grabbed one of his own luggage bags. He made his way to the dresser and emptied her drawer into the bag unceremoniously.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kaname shrieked as she watched the handsome teacher manhandle all of her clothing and personal affects. "You can't do this!"

Akihiko didn't reply. He grabbed the two bags and made his way to the front door. He dropped the pink bag from his left hand, reached out and grabbed the handle to the door, turned and tugged. He swung the luggage in his other hand back and forth for a moment before chunking it out the door. He bent at the waist, grabbed the pink luggage, and threw it as well.

Kaname was aghast as she watched Akihiko dispose of her things. He turned and pointed at her and she felt her chest clinch.

"You can go out on your feet or on your ass. The choice is yours," The man drew his pointing finger to the portal of the door. "Out. Now."

"A-chan!" Kaname begged as she began to walk towards the door. She stepped out of it and continued to plead with him. "Can't we work this out? It isn't even morning yet. Please?" she begged him.

The door closed shut with a snap as Kaname stared at the wood. She began to shake pitifully as she realized that she was being thrown out in the middle of the night. She didn't even have her cell phone.

The door rattled for a moment before opening a sliver. Akihiko looked between the frame and the door at her with one eye before sliding her cell phone at her. He released it into her grip and a few moments later he slid her tooth brush past the precipice and allowed it to clatter by her feet. He then shut the door wordlessly.

"Thanks you bastard!" Kaname shouted before landing several ground shaking kicks at the door. She left an imprint before turning on her heels and stomping away angrily. She snatched up both of her bags and made her way to the curb before taking several deep breathes.

The young woman grumbled and gnashed her teeth before pressing a button on the side of the phone. The screen activated in the dark and she quickly entered her pass code. The desktop opened to a picture of her and Akihiko pressing their faces together. She scowled and began to look at her contacts.

Kaname pressed her finger against the name 'Kyoko Tokiwa' and watched as the screen flashed and began to show a small rotary phone shaking. The words 'dialing' appeared and her heart fell when it went to voice mail almost instantly.

"Hi! You have reached Kyoko and I can't answer the phone right now. Leave your name and phone number and I will get right back to you!" The voice of the young girl echoed out of the phone.

"Ugh! Kyoko, call me back as soon as you get this. Akihiko just threw me out!" Kaname spoke into the phone with barely suppressed disgust in her voice. She then brought the phone back down to look at the menu again. She tried Mizuki Inaba next and received a connection to voice mail for her trouble as well.

Kaname began to feel panic settle into her stomach. She scrolled past Mizuki and looked down to find a single name. "Sousuke," she breathed out loud as she looked down at the phone. His name glowed and she felt her stomach flip flop as she drew the courage to contact him. After several moments of contemplation she allowed her thumb to press down hard on his name.

The phone displayed the familiar 'Dialing' message before immediately cutting off. The words 'Disconnected' appeared for a split second before the phone began to ring again. She watched as the number became a jumble of symbols and after a moment a voice came over the line.

"Hello," The voice spoke throatily.

"Hi, I think I have the wrong number. Sorry," Kaname explained before the deep voice interrupted her.

"You have reached the Titan Hot Line. Our illustrious leader will be with you shortly," The voice on the phone practically boomed in her ear as Kaname squinted and pulled the phone from her ear.

"What the hell?" she questioned before disconnecting the call. She looked up just as a black car with bright head lights pulled up to the curb in front of her. She hadn't noticed any vehicles on the road a moment ago but she instinctively took a step backwards when the vehicle rolled to a stop.

The head lights to the massive vehicle flicked off and she watched with bated breathe as the drivers side door opened. A massive man who stood at least seven feet tall extricated himself from the vehicle. He wore a black suit and had well trimmed and close cropped hair. His face was pulled into a smirking grin and it appeared that his monstrous physique wished to rip his clothing to shreds as he moved stiffly.

"Who are you?" Kaname managed to mumbled out as she looked up towards the face of the man who stood above her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Chidori-san," the man replied as he turned his attention downwards towards her as though he had only just noticed her. "My name is Pallas." He adjusted his tie and collar with his massive hands before reaching out to extend his meaty paw at her.

"How do you know my name?" Kaname inquired before tentatively placing her hand in his massive grip. She felt him squeeze daintily before releasing her and she instinctively pulled her hands to her breasts and interlaced her fingers close to her heart. She felt like an animal that had only barely just avoided a dangerous trap.

"As I stated before, my name is Pallas," He replied with a slightly exasperated look on his face. "I am a Titan. I am here to offer you a trade."

"A trade?" Kaname inquired suspiciously. "What could I trade you?" She stared at him nervously. "Look, I think you need to leave." She began to shoo him away as she felt an intense fear taking over her irrationally.

Pallas grinned devilishly before sighing. "Listen little girl. I have no desire for your Earthly flesh. I need your abilities. You are a Whispered and you are the only one who can assist us." He explained.

At the mention of the word Whispered, Kaname recoiled. She toppled over backwards onto her butt and began to splutter. "Are you here to kidnap me?" She began to cry as she stared up at the massive man. He appeared even larger as she propped herself up on her hands and leaned her neck back. "I'll scream!" she threatened.

Pallas reached into his jacket with his right hand. He rummaged in his breast pocket for a moment before extracting a tablet sized cell phone. He pressed several buttons before turning the device around to face the young woman on the floor.

Kaname watched the screen. It appeared as though someone had shot a film from a bush. She could see Sousuke approaching a black motorcycle. He had a helmet tucked under his arm and he was wearing a decidedly sexy set of riding leathers. She looked past the phone quizzically at Pallas before he pointed at the phone. She returned her attention to the device.

Kaname felt her blood boil. A dark skinned woman wearing only a pair of panties and an open kimono exploded out of the door way, vaulted over a motorcycle with a side car, and landed on Sousukes' back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She began to furiously kiss the back of his head and neck. Kaname scowled.

Pallas withdrew the phone, pressed more buttons, and then turned the device to face her again. The pair were now sitting at a table with a group of misfits. She scoffed as she looked at the ear rings made of spark plugs one of them wore. "She isn't that pretty," Kaname spat as she scowled at the dark skinned woman that Sousuke was doting on.

Again, Pallas withdrew the phone, repeated his ministrations, and returned the phone one last time. "Kaname Chidori is a total cunt," a voice spoke aloud. Her eyes narrowed and she watched the dark skinned woman gossip and bad mouth her to a very beautiful light skinned woman with facial tattoos similar to the brown skinned one. "Who does this bitch think she is?" Kaname growled before pulling herself to her feet.

The video on the phone morphed and the dark skin woman appeared in a close up. "I'm a Goddess," she spoke as she flipped her hair and posed in the frame sexily.

Pallas pressed a button on the side of the phone and the screen turned blank. He returned the phone to his pocket and patted his jacket where the device settled. "Sousuke and his girlfriend are conspiring against you." Pallas exhaled as he flashed a manipulative grin. "That's really all he has done since he broke up with you. Spread rumors behind your back, discuss your short comings. It's really kind of sad."

Kaname seethed as she held her hands in fists at her side. "So what does this have to do with you? What do you want?" She practically yelled at him as she felt the urge to punch or strike any one or anything near by.

"You help us capture the woman and you can have Sousuke. You can punish him for every thing he has done to you," Pallas explained as he gestured around with his massive hands. "You are here because he didn't take care of you. He promised to take care of you. Didn't he?" the man continued.

"You are right. This is his fault," Kaname exclaimed. "So what am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"You will help us build the Black Technology that we need in order to capture the Goddess." Pallas reached down and hefted both suit cases up in a single hand. "Will you be our champion? I formally invite you to serve the Othrys Corporation."

"I don't know. I should probably not make decisions like this in the heat of the moment," Kaname drolled as she looked about. "I mean, hey, at least it isn't raining. Right?" she spoke before jumping. A peal of thunder rocked her backwards before a torrential downpour erupted. She felt herself become instantly drenched.

The passenger door to the car opened before Pallas turned on his heels and gripped the drivers door. He opened it and tossed her bags into the back seat of the car before entering the car as a large man may put on a tiny coat.

Kaname bit her lip for a second before rushing towards the passenger side door. She hefted it open the rest of the way and entered the vehicle. Her eyes ran to the face of Pallas and she sighed. "Will I have some place to stay?" she asked.

"You will have room and board, warm meals, and a laboratory," he replied calmly.

The sound of the rain pounding on the vehicle nearly deafened Kaname but she regained her senses, took a deep breathe, and spoke forcefully. "I accept. I will work for the Othrys Corporation."

The rain suddenly stopped and Pallas smiled at her. He appeared dangerous and powerful, like a wolf who had just invited a doe into his den. "You start tomorrow. Let's get you home," he released a booming laugh and started the car.

Kaname leaned forward in her seat to look up and out of the vehicle towards the sky. She was shocked by the rapidness in which the weather was changing that night. "Have you ever seen it rain like that?" She asked Pallas.

"Once," he replied as his smile curled back into a sneer. "Get comfortable," he commanded as the vehicle began to roll forward.

Kaname felt her eyes growing heavy before they made it to the stop sign at the end of the street. She struggled to keep her head up but failed. When she awoke again, they were parked in what appeared to be an underground lot. The walls appeared to be made from stone and the construction itself appeared to have been made for people who were all as large as Pallas.

"How long was I asleep?" Kaname questioned Pallas she turned her head to look at enormous man sitting next to her.

"Not long," he replied before opening the door and exiting the vehicle . He began to walk towards a large entrance way .

Kaname rushed to follow him, leaving her bags in the vehicle. She wasn't sure if she needed to bring them but hoped she could acquire them later. The air was remarkably clean inside the cavernous area they were currently strolling through.

"Welcome to Othrys," Pallas stated after Kaname made her way to nearly jog next to him as he took long strides. "This is where we, the Titans, have been biding our time until we have a chance to take back what is ours." His booming voice filled the halls as they walked.

Kaname allowed her gaze to move from side to side as she attempted to memorize their path. She gave up quickly as they twisted and turned through the area without a single stop. It felt like forever before they finally arrived at what appeared to be an elevator. As was the style, the architecture of even the elevator was over sized. The entire building made Kaname feel as though she were doll house sized and currently exploring a full sized residence.

The pair entered the elevator together. Pallas placed his massive frame in front of a wall of buttons and punched in their destination. The door slid shut and the carriage began to move down wards at a rapid pace. "We will be going deeper into the mountain. We will be as close to the shell of the turtle as one can go."

"The shell of the what?" Kaname questioned him.

Pallas turned to face her and stared down at her with some annoyance on his features. He held his left hand up palm facing down and began to speak. "Heaven." He then placed his right hand under the left, also palm facing downwards. "Yggdrasil." He repeated the motion with the left. "Othrys." Finally he placed his right palm under the other again and stated "The back of the turtle."

Kaname gaped incredulously. She had never heard someone speak such utter and unbelievable drivel and believe every word they said. "Right," she replied before rolling her eyes. "Look, if you psychopaths are on the chase for some kind of amazing Black Technology drug or something, I don't think I am your Whispered," she continued to speak sardonically.

Pallas stared at her intensely. His expression only belayed the greatest of scorn and hatred. "Do you think that you are superior in intellect because you are ignorant?" he questioned her slowly as one may do to an obstinate child.

Kaname seethed as the large man looked down on her. "No one believes in fairy tales any more. The planet is round, it rotates around the sun, and there is no such thing as giant space turtles," she spat back at him.

Pallas did not answer her. He stood still until the bell within the elevator chimed. The door began to slide open and he reached out with his massive hand to cup the top of her head. His meaty fingers dug into her scalp as he lifted her off the ground by her skull until she was kicking and screaming. Her face was at head height with him.

"Look," he spoke to her as she reached up and gripped his wrist with both hands. She grunted and screamed as he turned and extended her in full body outwards towards the exit of the elevator.

A glass terrace with two spiral stair cases headed downwards extended out from where the elevator had landed. What looked like a sea of titanic people undulated below her. They were participants in what looked to be an orgy of blood as they ripped and tore at the flesh of screaming humans.

"They are eating them!" she cried out as she looked down into the detestable pit.

"You will be next if you do not do exactly what I ask," Pallas spoke as he took several steps and dangled her over the edge of the terrace.

"Please no!" she cried out as her legs began to kick even harder.

Pallas returned her from the edge and sat her down on the glass terrace. He reached into his enormous pocket and withdrew a single red ruby about the size of an apple. He extended it towards her.

Kaname hesitated before reaching out and taking the ruby as Pallas' glare grew in intensity.

"An initial payment," he spoke as he watched the small woman grip the stone in between both hands.

Kaname did not answer as she shook at the knees. "What do I do now?" she inquired.

Pallas clapped his hands once. The sound shocked and frightened Kaname so greatly that she fell to her knees. Her eyes clamped shut in terror.

"Get up child," a soft and feminine voice spoke.

Kaname flinched and cowered as a soft hand caressed her shoulder. She finally opened a single eye and her breath fell away as she looked at the woman before her.

The woman was beautiful with a dignified thickness that belayed her maturity. Her ample breasts strained against the toga like outfit that she wore and a golden crown capped her drawn back auburn hair.

"Who are you?" Kaname choked out.

"My name is Athena, child," the woman spoke sweetly. Her voice was like honey as it soothed Kaname. "You have work to do, for both of our sakes."

Kaname stood and looked about the room nervously. The pair were the only ones within and she was surprised to find that there were no doors or windows. "How did I get in here?"

"Magic," Athena replied with a soft and sad smile. She began to turn and motioned towards a table. "That is where you will work." The sound of a rustling chain drew Kaname to look downward. A thick golden chain held Athena in an ankle shackle.

"Oh my God," Kaname gasped as she extended her hands out in a futile attempt to offer assistance to the woman. "Why are you chained?" she spoke fearfully.

"I am here to help you. They demand that I provide you with the tools and knowledge that you will need to help them succeed. I will do what I can to keep you alive, but you must not let them succeed." The woman gestured again towards the desk. "Come child. We must start." She waved a hand and a book, tools, and a computer appeared on the desk.

"What do I do?" Kaname questioned Athena as she approached the desk and looked down at the book. She felt her vision tunneling and she began to smell blood. A stream of mathematical gibberish began to cascade from her lips as her life fluids leaked from her nose.

Athena lifted a notebook and a pen and began to write quickly. She took notes as she watched Kaname fall to the ground, her speech growing frantic as she began to twitch and jerk. "I'm sorry. I want to go home," Athena whispered as she cringed at the torturous sight before her.

\scenebreak

"Sagara, Sousuke!" The instructor raised her voice as she held up a test. She scanned the auditorium for a moment before smiling and extending the paper towards a young man with scars on his face. She took several steps forward before meeting him a few steps from the seats.

Sousuke stopped himself from saluting the instructor and played off his behavior by running his fingers through his hair. He quickly reached out and took the proffered paper from the woman. He felt his chest extend with pride when she praised him. He looked down to find he had earned perfect marks on his final electrical engineering exam.

Sousuke turned on his heels and returned to his seat. He could feel his cheeks fill with heat as he heard students around him discussing in hushed voices how strange but intelligent he was. He sighed inwardly before ignoring their talk. He was proud because he knew he was on track to graduate and he would be finished with school soon.

The bell interrupted his reverie and he stood. He looked about at the students mulling towards the doorway and decided to hang back until the crowd had dispersed. It was several minutes before he made his way into the hallway and several more before he made it to the cafeteria.

"Hey there Sousuke!" came a feminine voice from near by.

"Greetings Megumi!" Sousuke replied as he turned his head rapidly until he spied Keiichi Morisato's little sister. He drew his normal grimace into a smile as he offered her an awkward wave.

Megumi darted forward and hugged him quickly before releasing him with a red tint to her cheeks. "It's been a while, how was your sabbatical?" she questioned the soldier with a look of interest on her face.

"Things have been very good," he replied. Sousuke motioned for the young lady to take his spot in line since he was at the end of the line any ways.

"It's fine," she waved him off. "I brought lunch, doesn't Belldandy make you lunch?" she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Or Urd?" she continued with barely hinted malice.

"Urd does cook for me," Sousuke confirmed. "However, I usually end up eating it during my first class," he looked abashed as he rubbed his belly. "I get hungry."

"Maybe I should cook you lunch then. Something heartier?" she questioned him as he squirmed uncomfortably. Sousuke was aware that Megumi had not been made aware that Urd and he were a serious item. He considered Urd his true team mate in life, but the scandal that could erupt in Keiichi's life if Megumi discovered that the pair were living in one room, in his home, was not something he was ready to broach.

"That is a kind offer but I must disagree. I would not want you to spend time cooking for me," he tried to placate her as he held his two hands out at her.

"If the three 'Goddesses' are not going to take care of Keiichi and you, someone is going to need to step up," Megumi sighed exasperatedly as she stared at Sousuke with a concerned look. "Someone has to help," she continued to speak as her forehead creased into scowl.

"Yes Ma'am," Sousuke replied as he shot her a snappy salute. He smiled as her features softened and she rolled her eyes at him.

The pair stood in companionable silence as they shuffled forward in line at a snails pace. Eventually Sousuke gathered up a modest lunch that included a bowl of rice and sliced beef, an egg, and some fruit and pickled vegetables. He offered Megumi a pudding cup that she eagerly accepted.

The pair made their way out towards the Auto Club and located numerous familiar faces. Keiichi, Belldandy, Otaki, and Tamiya were currently devouring their meals and laughing as they talked amongst themselves.

Tamiya stood and saluted Sousuke as he grinned wide. "Friend!" he bellowed as Otaki joined in by waving at him.

"You see me every day you know," Sousuke replied as he placed his food down on the table and sat to begin eating. "It's always good to see you though."

"I owe you my life for the joy you have brought me." Tamiya felt his eyes well with tears as he reached into his pocket to remove a picture of Tessa. "You found me a Goddess," he spoke as he pressed his massive lips against the picture, wiped his eyes, and placed the photo back into his pocket.

"I heard that, every day this week," Sousuke laughed. "I'm happy for you. I really am. Tessa needed someone who loved her."

Tamiya leaned forward and placed a single finger against his own lips before blowing air over it. "Don't say that. We don't say that yet," he admonished Sousuke as he looked about nervously.

Sousuke looked about as well and wondered if Tamiya was afraid that someone may be watching them from a cloaked Arm Slave somewhere near by. It wouldn't surprise him if Tessa kept tabs on her boyfriend. He would be even less surprised if he discovered Tessa was spending her lunch breaks monitoring the group in between missions.

"How was your performance on your final exam?" Belldandy piped up from her seat next to Keiichi. She spoke to Sousuke as she lifted a pair of chopsticks up and fed Keiichi from a bento box. The Goddess seemed to be making a point to be kinder to the soldier since he had ensured that she had Keiichi would always have each other.

"Bullseye," Sousuke replied as he held up a single thumb. He nodded his head towards her slightly in thanks for her concern. "It would appear that my current capabilities as well as the credit I earned for previous military experience have put me on track to graduate early."

"You will probably be done a year before I am." Keiichi spoke up between bites and chews of the meal that Belldandy had created him. He reached down and hefted a drink to his lips, took a sip, and sat it down. A single glistening line of his beverage shimmered in the light of the mid day sun.

Belldandy reached out with her thumb and ran it up the side of Keiichi's face, she gathered up the spilled drink that dribbled down his face, and then licked her thumb clean without hesitation. She did not acknowledge the look of surprise that Megumi shot her way. "Mr. Keiichi can be very messy," Belldandy chuckled softly before lifting another piece of food up with the chopsticks and opening her mouth wide in encouragement. She made a long and guttural sound like one may do to encourage a baby to eat and Keiichi opened his mouth with a look of embarrassment on his face.

Sousuke fought back a laugh as he pointedly ignored the pair. He was well aware that neither had consummated their relationship yet, and neither seemed to have the gumption to initiate. Sousuke had a bet with Urd on who would initiate first. He fully expected Belldandy to simply take what she wanted at the rate the pair were going. Urd disagreed and was waiting for Keiichi to awkwardly fumble for Belldandy some evening.

Sousuke sighed for a moment. He suddenly lost his appetite as his vision faded in and out for a brief moment. His heart rate increased and he could hear it beating in his ears. He leaned back away from the food, sighed, and began to rub his left arm. He had the sudden urge to run from where he was and a strong desire for a strong drink.

"Hey, you all right?" Megumi asked as she noticed that Sousuke had flushed and his face was covered in sweat.

"Of course," Sousuke replied through dry lips as he flashed her a false smile. He stood and looked about the foyer at the students. He knew that there was nothing out of the ordinary and no reason for him to feel as he did. "I think I am going to take a walk. I just feel restless," he smiled before gathering up his half eaten lunch and disposing of it in a near by trash can.

Megumi began to stand as well but Belldandy reached out and softly tapped her to grab her attention. The Goddess shook her head in the negative at her and smiled sadly. "He is physically healthy," she whispered to the girl. "He has his other quirks."

Megumi watched as Sousuke placed his arms over his head. She wondered what he was doing as he left to begin pacing the school as he sometimes was known to do. She had seen him before, walking slowly with his fingers intertwined over his head, and usually he was drenched in sweat.


	2. Ah! A Goddess Needs A Nap?

Urd lounged in her beach chair as she sat in the garden. She was wearing a very small white bikini, white wide frame shades, and kept her hair pinned back in a massive flowing pony tail. She hummed softly to herself as she listened to Skuld fuss about in the back yard. "Explain to me again why you are wasting a beautiful day like this?" Urd questioned her.

Skuld held herself perpendicular with the ground on her fists, finished twenty push ups, and then returned to her feet to rest for thirty seconds. The little Goddess wore a black tank top and a pair of camouflage fatigue pants. She spoke quickly between sets. "I am preparing for Valkyrie training." She scowled as she turned to look at Urd. "May be you ought to join me, you are starting to look a little round," She continued.

Urd scoffed before she reached down with her left hand and pinched the side of her own butt. "Sousuke likes this," she laughed before letting go and settling back down under the sun. "If I need to do sit downs and push aways, I will be sure to ask you for pointers."

Skuld shook her head before sitting down and moving into repetitious sets of sit ups. She would do fifty before allowing herself to rest for thirty seconds. She repeated this until she felt too tired to continue. She would then return to push ups. After several minutes of this she stopped and stood, her breath escaped in gasps as she placed her fists on her hips.

Urd lifted her sun glasses to look at Skuld from beneath the wide rims. You are blocking my sky," she spoke quietly before looking down at the shadow that Skuld was casting across her skin. She smiled sweetly.

Skuld threw her hands up and turned away before breaking into a sprint. She began to run back and forth in the back yard as she paced herself with a rude cadence about ugly women that she sang. "I don't know what I've been told, but Urd's ass is pretty bad." Skuld laughed and almost toppled over when a water bottle sailed past her head.

Urd waited until Skuld was enthralled in her exercise before scowling and looking down at her body. She pinched herself on her stomach, thighs, and arms before standing up and looking down at the ground. She knelt, placed her palms down on the floor, and began to do a push up.

Skuld watched her sister out of the corner of her eye and smiled inwardly as she continued to work out. "Can't let you let yourself go just yet," Skuld sang the words to herself quietly. "You owe me Sousuke," she giggled.

After another hour of exercise, the pair appeared drenched in sweat. "I can't believe I just did that." Urd groaned as she lay on her back in the grass with Skuld next to her. "I'm insane. YOU are insane," she panted as she turned her head to gaze at Skuld.

"I have to be ready. Valkyrie training is supposed to be very hard," Skuld replied as she turned her head to look at Urd. "I want to be able to protect our family."

Urd smiled before looking back up at the sky. "You really look up to Sousuke, don't you?" she asked.

Skuld scoffed. "He is a complete nasty," she grinned wide before breaking into laughter. "He is also tough, smart, and really cares about you. He cares about all of us," she continued to explain.

Urd nodded silently.

"I am really glad that you two found each other," Skuld continued after a brief pause. "I think he compliments you well."

"I think he does too," Urd replied. She felt her face tugging into an involuntary smile as she imagined him sitting at the kitchen table in the morning, his hair mussed, and his gaze focused on the news paper. "Sometimes I feel like we are..." she paused.

"Married?" Skuld questioned giddily. "Do you think you want to marry him?" she continued to prod with her words as she wiggled and squirmed in the grass excitedly.

"You don't act like this for Belldandy and Keiichi," Urd offered in reply as she blushed and turned her face, a tiny grin on her lips appeared that she wanted to hide from Skuld.

"I would rather he beat his own dick with a hammer." Skuld replied with a scowl as she flung her arm out of the way as Urd tried to smack her.

"I can't believe you just said that," Urd fought back laughter as she attempted to admonish her little sister. "Who taught you to talk like that? Sousuke?" she continued.

"Kurtz," Skuld replied without a hint of remorse. "He always says 'I would rather beat my own dick with a hammer than have to do something.' and I think it is funny," she shrugged.

Urd chuckled and shook her head back and forth before holding her hands out in front of herself. She cupped her fingers and made a heart shape that she looked through at the blue sky above. "Remind me, you aren't allowed to talk to Sousukes' friends any more."

Skuld scoffed in reply before sitting up. "I think I am going to take a shower," she stood and flexed all of the muscles in her body as she reached upwards towards the sky on her tip toes. She sighed and began to walk towards the house.

Urd had watched as Skuld flexed and was surprised by her muscular tone and definition. She knew that Skuld was preparing for Valkyrie training, the little Goddess wouldn't shut up about it, but she was shocked by the quality of training she had received from Sousuke and Belldandy. "I need to do something too," she sighed before floating up to her feet. She stopped and looked down as she pretended Sousuke was kneeling before her. Urd reached out with her left hand before withdrawing it and looking at it, she imagined he had put a ring on her finger. "Oh yes! I will marry you!" she gushed before laughing and flipping her hair.

Urd leaned back on her heels and hopped up before landing on her back in the air. She floated backwards towards the house while giggling the entire way before crossing the threshold, spinning around, and allowing her feet to contact the wooden floor. She made her way to the bathroom and didn't hesitate to slam the door open.

"What the hell Urd?" cried out Skuld as she scrambled to cover herself. She was under the water with a deep scowl etched into her face. "We aren't kids any more," the tiny Goddess exclaimed as she watched Urd banish her clothing and charge into the bathroom.

"Move," Urd demanded before pushing Skuld out of the way and taking over the water. She increased the heat of the water, summoned a bar of soap, and began to clean herself while pointedly ignoring the cries of foul play from Skuld.

Several minutes later the pair exited the bathroom and headed for their respective rooms. Skuld continued to complain under her breath as she cried out through the house about Urd's craziness.

Urd could only laugh in reply before telling Skuld with a booming retort. "You think that they let Valkyries shower by themselves? Good luck with that!" she feigned covering her own body in her bedroom before calling out louder. "Oh no! Please don't look at my flat chest!" before bursting into laughter again.

Skuld pouted.

\scenebreak

Urd stood in front of her mirror in the bedroom she shared with Sousuke. She snapped her fingers rhythmically, as a new outfit appeared on her with each snap. She posed and studied herself with each out fit, trying to decide how she should look when Sousuke returns from classes.

She eventually settled on her favorite purple and black demon dress and her hair in pig tails. She knew it was one of his favorite out fits that she wore and she liked it too. "Easy enough," she spoke to herself as she twirled once. She immediately regretted that decision as the room seemed to continue spinning as she came to a halt. She buckled at the waist and placed her hands on her knees as she felt as though she were going to fall over.

"Wow!" she groaned before the feeling passed. "What was that?" she wondered as she stood straight. She felt queasy and contemplated heading for the bath room. She waited and after a few seconds she began to feel much better. Several seconds later she called out for Skuld.

"What?" the little Goddess spat as she stood in the door way of Urd's room. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of basketball shorts as she suckled on the end of an enormous water bottle.

"Hey, I don't feel very well," Urd replied as she snapped her fingers once more and changed clothes into her pajamas. The moment her clothing swapped she fell over onto her side in a faint.

"Urd!" Skuld cried out as she rushed forward to cradle her sisters head in her lap. "Hey! Urd!" she cried out as she began to inspect her. Skuld stilled and placed her finger tip under Urd's nose, she verified she was breathing before helping her lay on her side in a recovery position. "I'm going to call for Belldandy," she exclaimed before calling out for Noble Scarlet.

The tiny Angel appeared and looked down at Urd. She turned her head to look at Skuld, nodded once, and vanished in a fluttering of vanishing wings. A split second later an ear splitting crack rocked the room causing Skuld to flinch.

Belldandy appeared with a flash. The entire house shook as her corporeal form split through the ether. Her eyes burned with raw energy as she looked about the room for a moment. The bright glow that filled her eye sockets diminished. She immediately moved to Urd's side. "Are you all right?" she spoke calmly as she gently pushed Skuld away.

Skuld looked on in awe as she caught a glimpse of the raw power that Belldandy commanded.

"Bell?" Urd groaned as her eyes fluttered open. "What is happening? Is school over?" she queried with a confused look on her face.

"You tell me," Belldandy replied as she smiled softly at her sister. Are "you feeling all right?"

"Sure. I think I just over exerted my self," Urd chuckled before pulling herself into a sitting position. She swayed for a moment before laying back down. "I think I am going to take a nap," she stated before clinching her eyes shut. She looked pained.

Skuld turned to Belldandy and explained their exercise event, shower, and her eventual collapse. She tried to leave no details out as she spoke rapidly.

"I think you might be right. Over exertion," Belldandy replied as she watched Urd fretfully. "You rest for now."

Urd nodded once before reaching down to pull a blanket up over her head. She seemed to have no stomach for light as she curled into a ball .

Skuld pointed at herself before pointing down at the ground. She wordlessly informed Belldandy that she would stay with Urd.

Belldandy replied with a nod before making her way to the living room. She pressed her hand against the television and relaxed as she was transported to the side mirror of the motorcycle that Keiichi rode to class. She relaxed as she was spit back into corporeal form. The amount of energy used to travel by object was much less than to do it without a reagent.

Belldandy walked through the college campus with purpose. She found her way to the Computer Science building and located Sousukes' current class. She knocked twice and waited as the instructor approached the door, opened it, and asked if he could help her.

"May I speak to Mr. Sagara?" she questioned. "It's important," she continued to speak to the man. She waited patiently as the instructor seemed to be unsure what to say before he turned and called for Sousuke.

"Urd seems to be a little sick," Belldandy spoke to him calmly. "She is fine, but Skuld is going to watch her. I wanted you to know from me instead of finding out later and believing that I excluded you from her care." Belldandy spoke levelly to him.

"Do I need to go to her?" he questioned.

"Finish your class. She needs to rest any ways," Belldandy replied before turning on her heels and walking back to her class. She heard the door shut and hoped that Sousuke would finish his class without incident.

\scenebreak

Skuld sat cross legged at Urd's feet as she watched her sleep. She monitored her sister with worry in her eyes as she wondered what could have happened. "Are you that weak?" she questioned as she shook her head and smirked.

The sound of wings rustling snapped Skuld back to reality and she turned to look at Noble Scarlet. The tiny Angel was fussing with her wings as she sat on the floor as well. She seemed disinterested in the sleeping form of Urd. The Angel could sense Skuld's attention and turned to look at her. They held eye contact for a while before Noble Scarlet lifted her hand up, mimed gripping a pistol, and made a soft "bang" noise as she pointed at Skuld. The little Angel laughed and returned to cleaning her wings.

Skuld echoed the motion with her own hand before rolling her eyes. She wished that World Of Elegance would appear, but she didn't expect her to do so. It wasn't unheard of for a sick Goddess to have trouble summoning her Angel. It was uncommon however for a Goddess to fall ill.

Skuld stood and began to pace. She felt powerless as she wished she could help Urd some how. Her skills lay in electronics, software, and combat. The idea of providing medical care beyond a soothing song seemed beyond her and she felt a deep appreciation for the healing skills that Belldandy had. "She just needs to sleep," Skuld spoke to herself as she fidgeted.

"Yes. She does," Urd confirmed with a groan as she opened her eyes and looked at Skuld. "She also needs to get dinner ready," she sighed as she began to struggle from under the sheets.

"Wait!" Skuld pleaded before rushing forward. "I will cook dinner," she continued before a sense of foreboding washed over her.

"You can cook?" Urd questioned as she peaked at Skuld with a single opened eye.

"Can I cook? Of course I can cook," Skuld laughed nervously before throwing Urd a thumbs up. "You sleep, I will cook."

"OK," Urd replied before closing her eyes again and nestling into the futon.

Skuld blanched and motioned for Noble Scarlet to follow her. The pair entered the kitchen and exchanged a glance. "Can YOU cook?" she questioned the tiny Angel.

Noble Scarlet smiled wide before shaking her head in the negative.

"Of course you can't," Skuld sighed before turning to open the fridge. "How hard can this be?" she wondered aloud as she gazed at all of the different ingredients they kept stocked in the fridge. She began to gather different items from each of the shelves of the fridge and place them on the counter.

"Meat," she spoke before hefting up a large chunk of what appeared to be roast. "Vegetable," she stated flatly as she tossed a carrot and two bell peppers at the hunk of meat. She halted for a second before summoning a spoon to her hand. She then opened the freezer, dug into the ice cream, and took two large scoops that she swallowed quickly before replacing the box. "Ice cream," her voice rang out again before realizing that Noble Scarlet was glaring at her.

"What? It's good for you," Skuld stated before continuing to dig in the pantries.

Noble Scarlet rolled her eyes before floating up into the air and climbing into one of the cabinets. She rummaged for a while before returning with a can of beans, a white onion, and several canisters of spices.

"Good idea," Skuld grinned before grabbing a large pot. She opened the can of beans and chunked it into the pot and placed the roast on top. She then chopped the vegetables up and threw them on top with several heaping spoonfuls of different spices.

"Scarlet stew," Skuld grinned before turning the burner on to the stove and placing the pot on top. She poured a glass of water over the top of the concoction and threw a top on before taking several steps back. She wasn't sure how long to let it cook so she decided to stay in the kitchen and check it as necessary.

Skuld could hear the rumble of the motorcycles arriving and she began to plate dinner. She filled several bowls up with a mash of beans, onions, and meat and began to set them out on the counter. She stuck her finger in one of the bowls before popping it into her mouth. "Yum," she spoke with a hint of disbelief in her voice. She liked what she had cooked.

Skuld wasn't surprised when Sousuke entered the home and rushed to the bedroom, she heard the door open and then close softly. Belldandy and Keiichi entered the kitchen together and approached the counter. Skuld puffed up her chest and extended her hands at the bowls. "Scarlet stew. Dinner is served," she excitedly displayed her food for them.

Belldandy smiled at her before taking her bowl. Keiichi followed suit as he looked hard at the glop of mush inside the bowl. The pair made their way to the kitchen table and took seats before prodding at the meal with their spoons.

A few moments later, Sousuke entered the kitchen and spotted the bowl on the counter. He approached it, reached out, and hefted the serving dish with the most food in it. He looked about for a second before spying a spoon and began to eat before he had even sat down.

Skuld felt her dejection begin to fade as she watched Sousuke eat her stew. She kept an eye on him as she realized he was the only one enjoying the food, and he seemed to be enjoying it tremendously as he shoveled it into his mouth at an increasing rate.

"Is it good?" Skuld queried.

"Yes, it is," Sousuke replied between bites. He turned to look at Belldandy and asked politely. "Did you make this?"

"I did not," Belldandy replied before looking down at her untouched bowl.

"It's good," Sousuke continued to speak before jabbing his spoon at "Keiichi. You?"

"I made it," Skuld finally interrupted as she stared at him with a curious look on her face. "Do you really like it?"

"I do," he confirmed with a nod as he swallowed another large mouthful. He licked the spoon clean before using his index finger to methodically scoop the left overs up and into his mouth. He then took the bowl to the sink and picked up the second bowl. "I think Urd will like it too."

Keiichi watched the soldier as he tried to assess whether he was serious in his love of the food or only being supportive. He finally caved and lifted the spoon, dipped it into the goop, and lifted it to his lips. "It's OK," he finally stated before digging in.

Belldandy smiled serenely and began to eat as well. If she didn't like it, she hid it well.

Sousuke exited the room and made his way to the bedroom where Urd was resting. He brought the bowl and a spoon with him. He opened the door softly, entered, and closed it behind him. "Hey," he spoke softly as he began to approach Urd.

"What?" she whispered back. The blankets rustled as she rolled over to face him. She peered out from under the blanket, she had wrapped it around her head and she watched him intently as he carried the bowl towards her.

Sousuke sat down and sat the bowl to the side. "Hungry?" he asked her as he watched her with a look of concern.

"I think so," she replied before sniffing several times. "Ugh, what is that smell?" Her normally warm brown cheeks looked positively green as she stared fearfully at the bowl.

"Skuld made it. It's good," he stated as he began to stir the bowl with the spoon. A moment later he was struggling to keep the bowl from exploding across the room as he recoiled away from Urd.

The Goddess had thrown the blankets off of her body before rocketing upwards. She rushed towards the door, threw it open, and burst into the bathroom before emptying the contents of her stomach. She retched violently.

Sousuke sat the spoon in the bowl, stood, and made his way to her. He entered the bathroom and immediately drew her long flowing hair up into a bunch in order to keep it from her mouth.

"Oh my God, get out," Urd pleaded as she vomited again. "You can't see a Goddess like this," she pleaded with him as he wrapped an arm around her to help steady her.

"In a moment," he replied as he kept her on her feet. He looked up and made eye contact with Skuld. She was standing in the door way nervously.

"The stew?" she mouthed at him.

Sousuke shook his head in the negative before adjusting how he stood as Urd swayed forward. He gave her a few more moments before leaning down and hooking her arm around his neck. The soldier guided her to the sink and turned her before lifting her up to sit on the edge.

"No," Urd groaned as she tried to hide her face behind her hands.

Sousuke turned, acquired a towel, and turned on the sink. He waited for the water to warm before dipping the cloth under the gushing faucet, soaking it, and then moving to wash her face.

Urd fussed and struggled as he approached her but stilled when he whispered a curt 'Stop it' in her direction. The Goddess sat still, a look of embarrassment on her features. She could feel her lips moving about as he scrubbed and cleaned her. He wiped the sweat from her brow and then reached for his tooth brush. He moved to place the instrument into her mouth but she grabbed it. "I can at least do this."

Sousuke nodded before stepping back and watching as she brushed her teeth and tongue. She watched him with a furrowed brow as he kept an eye on her. She then stood, turned, and spit into the sink. "Done," she spoke as she twisted and looked at him.

"Feeling better?" Sousuke questioned her as he watched to make sure she was steady.

"I'm fine, I feel a lot better now," Urd confirmed before looking towards Skuld. "I don't think I want anything with meat though," she smiled with a guilty look on her face.

"You got it," Sousuke confirmed. "What do you want?"

"An apple," Urd replied.

Sousuke held out his hand towards Skuld who snapped her fingers and dropped a single red apple into his hand. "Thanks Skuld," he spoke up before handing the fruit to Urd.

She took it and made her way to the kitchen. Skuld and Sousuke followed her.

"I'm fine you know," she blurted out with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I am not a child," she growled.

Sousuke put his hands up in hopes of placating her. He didn't press the issue but instead made his way past her to the fridge, withdrew a box of green tea ice cream and prepared two bowls. He offered one to Skuld which she graciously accepted with an exaggerated flourish. The pair then sat at the kitchen table and began to eat as Urd scowled at the pair, slowly nibbling on her apple.

Sousuke looked up and allowed his gaze to fall beyond Urd. His Goddess stood with her back towards the entrance and he noticed the intense gaze that Belldandy was giving her from beyond the precipice. He wondered why she would be staring at her with such laser like focus and it began to bother him.

"What?" Urd barked at him, interrupting his train of thought.

"Nothing, it's fine," Sousuke replied. He averted his gaze momentarily and when he allowed his eyes to flicker towards the door again, he discovered that Belldandy had moved on.

"Hey, I can do a lot of push ups," Skuld piped up through a mouthful of ice cream. "What do I need to do next?"

"You need to do pull ups," Sousuke replied easily. "Pull ups will be very important."

"Cool," Skuld nodded her head as she swirled her spoon in her bowl for a moment. She lifted it to her lips and licked as she held a contemplative furrow on her brow. "Can we practice shooting soon?" she queried.

"Affirmative," Sousuke confirmed. "Do you want to work on long distance shooting or do you want to learn more close quarters combat?" he asked.

"Close quarters," Skuld replied quickly. Her eyes lit up and she pretended to hold her spoon out like a blade. "Can we learn knife fighting too?" she continued to question.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. "I will teach you every thing I know."

Skuld bounced in her seat happily before returning to the contents of her dessert.

Urd felt her scowl fading as she watched Sousuke and Skuld interact. She could see how Sousuke treated Skuld more like a daughter than any thing else. He doted on her and did every thing in his power to keep her happy, even when she had been so critical of him.

Sousuke felt Urd's eyes on him and he looked up at her to catch her eyes. He smiled encouragingly at her as she looked down at him. He watched her cheeks pull up into a reluctant grin as he pursed his lips and made a kissing face.

"Gross," Skuld laughed as she watched the two interact.

"I heard you were kissing Shinji," Urd scoffed as she turned on Skuld. "Oh Shinji, hold me so tight. Yum!" she teased as Skuld turned beet red.

"No way! Shinji is gross!" Skuld denied furiously as she shook her head. She looked mortified that Urd had called her out on her interest in a man. The embarrassment on her face revealed that she did not in fact think that Shinji was gross.

Sousuke chuckled before shaking his head. "You need to be a lot older. Do I need to check you for tattoos?" he spoke accusingly as he turned on her.

"No!" Skuld shouted as she held out her arms. "Look, not a single mark on me," she spoke quickly through breathy spurts as she rotated her wrists about in front of herself.

"We should check her tongue," Urd replied with a blank face.

Sousuke felt his neck snap as he turned to look at Urd in shock. Her eyes were filled with mirth and she struggled to keep a straight face.

"Why my tongue?" Skuld spoke slowly before the insinuation from Urd struck her. She became voiceless as she stood and hurried out of the room in embarrassment.

Sousuke erupted into laughter and shook his hands out as though he were trying to shrug off a particularly unappealing feeling. "Gross," he spat as he inhaled hard. "They aren't?" he asked Urd.

Urd shrugged before taking another bite of her apple. "Weird reaction if they weren't." She chuckled again.

Sousuke shook his head slowly before extending his hand towards Urd. She hesitated for a second playfully before reaching out and interlocking her fingers with his. He pulled softly and she closed the distance before sitting in his lap. "I'm sorry you don't feel well," he whispered to her.

"I feel a lot better now," she replied. Her features softened and she leaned into him before taking another bite of her apple. "This is nice," she spoke.

"I agree," Sousuke nodded as he took a deep breathe and relaxed.


	3. Ah! A Goddess Chirps?

Marller rubbed at her forehead with the thumb of each hand as she sat at a large wooden table. Her elbows rested firmly on the wood. She sighed before reaching out with her left hand and hefting a large mug to her lips. "This is not going to work," she grumbled to herself before setting the mug down and rubbing at her belly. "Itch, itch, itch," she chanted as she pressed at her war wound with her finger tips.

The demoness stood and unbuttoned her shirt before leaning forward slightly to gather up a handful of salve out of a small wooden container. She rubbed the purple liquid onto her wound and sighed contently. "Ugh, I hate this crap," she spoke to no one as the flicker of candles danced across her face.

Marller then buttoned her shirt once more before drawing a notebook and a pen to herself. She began to scribble on the pages as she spoke. "Dead. Wounded. Wounded. Dead. Missing," she spoke out the fates of different demons as she perused a massive roster in a bound book. They had recently completed a head count of every one of the participants in what they were billing 'The Battle For Hell'. It was Marller's job to tally loses and figure out a way to recover from the battle.

Marller groaned as she turned the page and discovered that several of the highest ranking demons had died in the battle. She knew that things looked grim in Hell but this was unbelievable to her. "What am I going to do?" she sighed aloud before a thought came to her.

Marller began to write excitedly on her notebook but stopped. She looked around for a moment before spotting an older brown breadbox like computer with the words "Commodore" emblazoned on it sitting on a book shelf. She found the monitor for the computer higher up on the book shelf and gathered them up before returning to her desk. She hooked up the chords and pressed the big red button on the top right corner of the box. After what felt like an eternity, a blinking cursor appeared on the screen in a blue border. The word READY stood out to her and she began to type.

It was several hours later before Marller began to hunt for a floppy disk drive. She shuffled about the office over turning boxes until she located the device she needed. It was another hour later before she had finally attached the device, restarted the computer, interfaced with it, and gotten her previous work off of the tiny hard drive on the old computer and onto the floppy drive. The struggle to conduct any kind of work using a computer was real within the confines of hell.

Marller realized that during her search she had made a mess of her desk. She began to shuffle papers out of the way until she located her telephone. She gripped the receiver and brought it up as she lifted the handset to her ear. She dialed a handful of numbers and waited for the phone to make a connection.

\scenebreak

Tessa lounged on a large ivory couch in the middle of her spacious home. She had decided to fly home that night for the weekend and had brought Tamiya with her. The massive auto club member was perusing a magazine with a cover saturated in modified cars and scantily clad women. Tessa rested her feet in his lap as she kept her hands behind her head with her eyes closed.

The phone interrupted their quiet companionship as it began to ring violently. "What the hell?" Tessa growled as she began to reach blindly over the arm of the couch in an attempt to grab the offending device. Eventually she lifted the phone to her ear, her eyes still closed.

"You called me," she answered the phone with barely suppressed malice as she awaited the inevitable idiocy of who ever decided to contact her during her time off. A moment later she was drawing her legs up and off of Tamiya. He didn't flinch as she turned to face forward on the couch. "This is a surprise!" she spoke in a much friendlier tone.

"May I make an appointment with you? I would like to speak to you in person," the voice of Marller came over the telephone.

"Any time, you tell me when you want to do this," Tessa replied.

The television began to glow as a kaleidoscope of light erupted from the screen. A terrible red light began to fill the device until Marller drew herself slowly from the machine. Her fully body landed with a soft thump on the ground before she drew herself to full height.

Tamiya looked up from his magazine, closed it, and then rolled it up before standing. He nodded at Marller and then spoke softly to Tessa. "I will be in the other room. I do not want to interrupt your business." The stoic auto club member made his way out of the room and towards his other favorite place in the house, the garage.

"What can I do for you?" Tessa looked shocked as she gazed at Marller. She stopped to look down at herself, as she was still in her pajamas. She felt embarrassed that she had not had the chance to prepare for their meeting.

Marller smiled wide before approaching Tessa and offering her a firm hand shake. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but I think this just can't wait for us. You may not be aware but Hell suffered tremendous losses during the battle that your group participated it."

"I heard that it was the talk of the metaphysical world," Tessa confirmed as she gestured towards the couch. The pair took a seat as they continued their conversation. "What can Mithril do for you?"

"I want to discuss with you how we could augment our forces with the use of human mercenaries." Marller deadpanned to a shocked Tessa.

"You want to HIRE Mithril?" she questioned incredulously.

"Well, there are agreements that we will not use human combatants directly," Marller grimaced as she ran her fingers through her hair. She felt tired and her stomach was bothering her tremendously.

"You want educators," Tessa grinned slyly. "Even in death, no one is going to escape stupid rules and two faced war fighting," she laughed.

Marller cocked her head inquisitively.

"You need someone to provide guidance and education for your troops. You are looking for what we call 'an adviser', they are a way you can get around rules like that," Tessa explained.

"So this position, what would it take for us to hire someone like that?" Marller questioned her as she nodded in understanding.

"Someone willing to work in Hell and the ability to pay them a worthwhile paycheck I would suppose," Tessa shrugged as she spoke. "I can look around but I would assume you would need someone who is familiar with the politics of Hell, willing to work with metaphysical peoples, and bat shit crazy," she chuckled for a moment.

Marller smiled and nodded. "I guess we need to start putting out feelers and working on the hiring process. Do you think you could help me? I think Hild will appreciate the idea and see the benefit after I make my presentation to her," Marller beamed with pride as she grew excited at the prospect of assisting Hild and Hell itself with solving the issues that they had recently found themselves in.

"I'll do what ever I can," Tessa confirmed as she extended her hand to shake Marller's. "Just tell me what we can do," she smiled and stood as Marller did as well.

Tessa reached down and lifted her cell phone up. "Can you do text messages?" she asked Marller as she wiggled the phone.

"Sure," Marller replied as she withdrew her flip phone. The two women exchanged numbers before shaking hands again. "I will send you a text after I speak to Hild. She might need to talk to you, do you think that will be all right?" she asked hopefully.

"Anything for you two," Tessa replied cheerily. "I will start looking around for a person who can fulfill the position. I'll send you a message when I have some ideas on how we can tackle this situation."

"Sounds great!" Marller grinned, her sharpened canines glistened in the soft light of the home as she waved at Tessa. She then took several steps back and vanished into the light of the television again.

Tessa held her smile for several more seconds before allowing her shoulders to slump and her breathe to rush from between her teeth. "Holy crap," she moaned as she ran her fingers over and through her hair. "Did I just make a deal with the devil?"

She immediately lifted the cell phone up and began to dial the Morisato residence. "Would you just buy a God Damned cell phone?" she growled to no one in particular as she waited for the phone to begin ringing.

"Skuld residence," came the friendly voice of the tiny Goddess that Tessa was familiar with. "Ugh, and Morisato and Sagara," she continued after a murmured voice in the background urged her to finish the statement.

"Hello Skuld!" Tessa forced herself to smile and held a friendly tone as she spoke into the phone. She had made her way over to her desk and gathered up a very beautiful and expensive pen and a pad of paper. "Do you think I could speak to Urd?"

Skuld held the phone away from her ear and looked at it with a look of shock for a moment before returning it to her ear and replying. "Sure, she isn't feeling well but I will get her," she sat the phone down on the table and made her way quickly to the bedroom that Sousuke and Urd shared.

"Hey, you nasties decent?" she inquired before knocking once and opening the door. Sousuke was sitting at a small desk working on a school paper while Urd was curled up in a ball on the floor near his feet.

"What?" Urd growled as she raised her head to look at Skuld.

"Feel decent enough to talk to Tessa?" Skuld inquired as she pointed at Urd.

"What? I mean, sure... OK," Urd spluttered as she pulled herself to her feet. She exchanged a look of curiosity with Sousuke before making her way out of the room and towards the phone. She took a deep breathe and relaxed her shoulders before projecting her voice in a airy and flippant manner. "Urd here."

"Hey, I am really sorry to bother you but I need to ask you something. Do you have any books on Hell or how business works in Hell?" Tessa queried Urd.

"Is there a particular reason?" Urd asked cautiously as she felt a confused look overcome her features. "Did something happen?"

"Just personal curiosity." Tessa replied evasively as she grimaced and hoped that Urd didn't grow any more suspicious about her motivations.

"I will send you a book. Sure," Urd replied with a shrug. She didn't see any harm in allowing someone who had visited Hell before to learn more about the place. She did assist in saving them during the Battle For Hell.

"Thanks, I really appreciate that," Tessa replied excitedly. She didn't expect it to be that easy, and she knew that she and Urd didn't exactly get along since the Goddess was well aware of her varying feelings for Sousuke. "Do you think you would like to go out for lunch one of these days, just the two of us?" Tessa offered.

Urd scrunched up her face before calming herself again. "Sure, I would enjoy that," she replied as politely as possible.

Tessa fought back a laugh before replying. "Well, it's a date. Next time I am in the area, I will drop by and pick you up," she spoke cheerily. The forced awkwardness of their rivalry left them both struggling to present their best foot forward in their interactions.

"Sure, expect the book soon," Urd replied before hanging up the phone . She rolled her eyes and turned to face a very intently staring Skuld . "What?" she asked .

"Nothing," Skuld grinned as she placed her hands behind her back and leaned forward. She was building her courage to start an argument and Urd was familiar with her mannerisms enough to know that something was going to come out of her mouth.

"Just say it," Urd grumbled.

"No, no, no," Skuld grinned as she rocked back and forth on her heels t. "Nowhile you are sick," she teased as she continued to laugh .

Urd stared at Skuld for several seconds before lunging at her. "You think that Tessa is going to fuck Sousuke!" she howled as her hands jabbed towards the tiny Goddess. She seethed with rage that filled the room with heat.

Skuld leaped backwards with enough force to push herself into the air. She held the momentum before rolling into a back handspring that carried her far out of reach of Urd's grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she blurted as she gaped in shock.

"I don't know." Urd cried out before erupting into tears. She recoiled from Skuld as she lifted her hands up towards her face. She covered her mouth in shock.

Belldandy entered the room and approached Urd calmly before extending her arms out towards Urd. She moved forward and enveloped her sister in a hug. Belldandy remained silent as Urd began to sob into her embrace. "What the hell is wrong with me?" she spluttered through thick tears.

"Come here, sit down," Belldandy urged her as she guided her towards the front room. The three made their way towards where they kept the television which was currently occupied by Keiichi.

"Out. Dweeb," Skuld barked as the three entered. She scowled and pointed towards the hallway.

Keiichi froze in mid motion as he was lifting a handful of chips to his lips. He dropped the treats back into the bowl and dusted his hands off over the contents before standing. He made eye contact with Belldandy for a moment who seemed to giving him a pleading stare. He made his way to the hall way and towards Sousuke and Urd's room.

Skuld skipped forward, grabbed the remote, and changed the channel to one of the ones she knew Urd enjoyed. A mindless soap opera appeared and she chucked the remote off to the side before grabbing some pillows and tossing them in front of the box.

Belldandy snapped her fingers and a large box of yarn and other knitting supplies appeared on the floor beside he. She deliberately positioned the box near Urd and asked her if she wouldn't mind watching the television for a few moments while she got settled.

Urd nodded as she sat down. She placed her palms under her chin and rested her elbows on her knees as she stared at the screen. It was a rerun and she knew exactly what would be coming up next. She liked this episode and she grew increasingly focused on the content as her sisters spoke to each other quietly. She didn't think anything of it when she reached into the box of yarn and withdrew a small pile of the soft string.

"Urd?" Belldandy spoke softly as she watched her sister. She had hoped that she would be enthralled with the show, and when she reached into the box it only confirmed her suspicions as to why she was behaving so strangely.

"Yea?" Urd replied as she continued to stare at the screen. Her right hand played with the yarn almost autonomously as she heaved a sigh.

"Look," Belldandy replied softly. Her voice was shaky and she seemed concerned about something important.

Urd turned to look at Belldandy. She felt a twinge of worry as she looked upon the excited face of her sister. Belldandy pointed towards her hand and she looked down to spy what she had been creating as she watched television. A small purple and red nest created from interlaced strips of yarn sat at her fingertips. While she was busy watching her show, she had began to create what appeared to be a three inch tall birds nest.

"No," Urd stated firmly as she stared at the nest she had created. "No, no, no," she chanted as she recoiled away from the yarn. "There is no way. Not right now," she continued to plead as she turned her attention on Belldandy.

Belldandy smiled softly before raising both hands up and beginning to tick off her fingers as she spoke. "Ele' has been missing for a few days now. Mood swings. Aversions to food. Cravings. Also, nesting," she spoke as her smile curled into a grin. "I think you are going to be a mother Urd."

"Oh my God!" Skuld exclaimed as she threw her hands up in the air. "You nasties made a baby!" she continued to gibber as she stood and began to pace. "I'm going to be a sister. A cousin. A niece. A niece or an uncle?" she waved her hands animatedly as her excitement grew to a fevered pace. "I have to be a role model!" she nearly screamed as she fell to her knees and gripped her head between both hands.

Urd and Belldandy both turned their attention on Skuld momentarily. Her outburst seemed to have broken the tension in the room as the pair turned back to look at each other and shared an amused laugh. "I can't be a mom," Urd reasoned.

"Did you get all those tattoos from a needle?" Belldandy questioned her as she pointed down at her arms. She reminded Urd that they only receive their tattoos after copulation and that she had quite a collection on her hands and arms.

Urd looked abashed as she held her hands up to stare at the tattoos. "We just assumed we were going to be killed any ways. Sousuke really didn't have a say in the matter any ways, I can be sort of forceful when it comes to him," she blushed as she held her left hand out to stare at the tattoo loop that circled her ring finger.

Her reverie was interrupted as she watched Skuld fall forward from her kneeling position to lay her forehead down on the ground. She spoke slowly and quietly. "Sousuke injected my sister with baby making juice," she seemed to be wrestling with some serious issues before she pulled back up into a kneeling position. "Oh, hi, my name is Skuld. Put a baby inside me," she blurted out before making a disgusted face as she pointed down at her stomach.

"All right, not helping," Urd spat at Skuld as she hefted up a roll of yarn and threw it across the room at her. The thick mash of string slammed into her face before ricocheting off harmlessly.

"Thanks, I needed that," Skuld nodded before standing and making her way over to Belldandy. She sat down next to her and lifted her hand up to inspect it. "No tattoos," she spoke to herself reassuringly without noticing the dark crimson tone that had filled Belldandy's cheeks.

"You do know that every Goddess will display her marks differently. Right?" Urd queried Skuld as she relished the look of horror that came over her face.

"Differently?" Skuld asked slowly.

"Arms, Legs, or Back. They could be ANY WHERE," Urd spoke conspiratorially as she wiggled her fingers in a threatening manner at Skuld.

Belldandy felt her cheeks filling with blood as she stared at her sisters. "I think we should focus on Urd," she blurted out as she grinned at the pair encouragingly. "That seems to be the real topic of focus," she continued as she rocked on her knees and attempted to appear as comfortable as possible.

"Do I tell Sousuke?" Urd questioned as she leaned forward to look down the hallway. She wondered if he could hear the group talking but if he did, he had not shown himself yet.

Belldandy jingled one of her bangles as she wiggled her wrist. "I have silenced our conversation," she spoke up as she pointed at her ear with her right hand. "No one knows but the three of us."

"Thanks," Urd smiled as she drew her knees up to her chest. She reached down and picked up the nest and placed it on her knees and began to stare at it. "I'm going to be a horrible mother. Just like my mom. Demons can't be moms," she blurted out as tears erupted from her eyes.

"Oh no, you will do a wonderful job," Belldandy piped up as she crawled towards Urd. She wrapped her arms around her and began to stroke her back. "You can decide how good you will do," she continued to encourage her.

"How hard can it be?" Skuld piped up from where she continued to sit. "You just say 'No, bad baby!' or 'Good baby!' depending on what they are doing," she shrugged as she held out a single finger pointed towards the ground as you might do to scold or praise a dog.

Urd fought the urge to laugh as she wiped at her tears. "Bad baby, don't chew that!' she spoke in the same tone that Skuld had used before erupting into tearful laughter. "Oh God, what am I going to do?" she moaned.

Urd stood and straightened out of her clothes. She reached down lovingly to stroke Belldandy's hair for a moment before steeling herself. She placed the nest under her arm and turned towards the hallway. "I have to talk to Sousuke," she stated firmly.

Belldandy and Skuld exchanged looks and stood as well. The pair followed at a safe distance as Urd marched down the hallway and opened the door their bedroom. "Are you done working on that paper?" she asked Sousuke as she gazed down at him as he was still sitting at his desk.

"Almost," he replied before looking up at her. He smiled as he looked up at her. "I have two more sentences." He flourished the pen a little before finalizing his paper. "I should get a computer," he stated as he placed the cap on his pen, placed his paper in a notebook, and placed the whole of it into his back pack.

Urd fidgeted nervously as she watched him. She worked up her courage and began to go over what she might tell him. "You like kids?" she thought before shaking her head. "Remember that one time when you put your kid inside me?" again she shook her head. "Every one who isn't a father, raise their hand... Not so fast Sousuke!" she grimaced.

"You all right? Still feeling bad? You are making some funny faces," Sousuke asked with deep concern in his voice as he approached Urd. He reached out and pulled her into an embrace before kissing her on the top of the head. "What can I do for you, how do I make it better?" he spoke with care and concern as he nuzzled her hair.

Urd smiled inwardly as she reached up to grab his shirt. She pulled on him firmly and buried her nose into his chest. Her heart beat rose in tempo as she huffed his scent like an addict. "We need to talk," she whispered.

"We can talk," he assured her. "I am a good listener," he whispered back "Wat her. hat do I need to do?"

Urd took another deep breathe and leaned back to look up into his eyes. "I'm hungry again." she whispered as her courage faded. She felt as though the wind in her sails had been blown out as her courage failed her. She smiled at him while inwardly kicking herself.

"Is that all?" Sousuke questioned her. He ran his fingers up into her hair and began to massage her scalp with a gentle touch as he closed his eyes. He relished how he felt when he had the chance to enjoy her body and the way touching her made all of his worries disappear. "Is there something I need to know?" he queried.

Urd bit her lip. Sousuke could read her like a book, even without the ability to read auras. He knew she was concerned about something and she knew she couldn't hide it forever. She shifted her weight from left to right several times as she let her hands slip down to grip him by the hips. "Yes," she finally stated nervously.

"What is it?" he encouraged her as he felt the urge to laugh. He wondered if Skuld had tipped his motorcycle over and Urd was afraid to tell him. He wouldn't be surprised if she was concerned about nothing, as she was want to do on the odd occasion.

Urd released her grip on his hips before taking a step back out of reach of Sousuke. She held his eyes with hers as he opened them to watch her. Urd bent the fingers of her hands into the shape of a heart that she held out in front of herself. She made sure Sousuke was paying attention before drawing her hands back and allowing her hands to rest over the top of her stomach. She looked down at her hands before looking back up at him and cracking into a nervous laugh.

Sousuke stared at her with a confused look on his face. The smile on his face slowly faded away as a look of shock washed over him. He reached out with a single finger and placed it in the middle of the heart she had formed. "Are you having a..." his words failed him.

"We are having a..." Urd encouraged him to finish the sentence. She was almost amused at the shell shocked look that Sousuke held on his face as he stared at her.

"A demon...?" Sousuke offered.

"No, an Arm Slave," Urd sighed exasperatedly. "A baby!" she growled as she looked at him like he had grown two heads. "Of course the baby will be part demon but that isn't what she will be you insensitive soldier!"

Sousuke fought back a laugh as he came to his senses. He stepped forward and pulled Urd into a deep hug that enveloped her completely. "I love you very much," he gushed before pulling away to look her in the eyes. "If the baby comes out an Arm Slave, I will know its mine," he teased.

Urd rolled her eyes. "You aren't mad or sad?" she asked tepidly. She rolled her hand up into her own hair and gripped it before wrapping her arms around herself in a hug, she hid her face in her hair. "You really want to stick around with someone like me?"

Sousuke redoubled his efforts to reassure her. He held her tighter as he kissed all over her concealed face. "I will be with you for as long as you will have me," he exclaimed. "This is a tremendous moment," he spoke up as he looked up towards the door. He noticed Skuld was holding a mirror in her hand and watching the pair from just outside the room with Belldandy also using the mirror to view them as well. They were trying to hide against the wall out of sight. He felt his chest surge with pride as she was using some of her training to spy on them.

Sousuke fell silent as he closed his eyes again. He grew contemplative as he thought about Urd, their child, and where he planned to be in their future. After several seconds of silence, Urd interrupted his reverie.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I need a job," Sousuke replied. "I have to provide for us," he spoke firmly.

Urd chuckled before looking up at him. "Unmarried, job-less, and still in school," she spoke as she grinned. "I know how to pick them."

"I can't say I did poorly in my choice of you. Beautiful, smart, and perfect in every way. I got the good deal on this one," he confirmed with a nod.

Skuld looked at Belldandy before whispering softly. "They sure are cute for a couple of nasties."


	4. Ah! A Goddess Has Worries?

Kaname lay on her side on the floor of the laboratory. She thought back on what Pallas had told her when they had first met. He had offered her a place to stay, food to eat, and a job. He hadn't lied to her. She spent each night sleeping inside the laboratory with Athena as her constant companion.

"Are you awake again, child?" the soothing voice of Athena reverberated through the room. "This is the time for you to partake in your sleep cycle, you must stay rested or you will deteriorate greatly in this hole." she urged.

Kaname remained silent as she stared at a pile of assorted gems in the corner. Each week she spent inside this living hell was counted with the delivery of a single gem stone of varying weight and size that always appeared under her pillow. Kaname sighed softly before rolling over to look at Athena. "Who are you really?" she questioned.

"I told you, I am Athena, are the children of the new Gods so forgetful?" she chuckled lightly as she brushed her hair with measured tenor. Her gracefulness knew no bounds as she could move completely silently when she had the desire to do so. Kaname hadn't even realized she was moving about.

"I'm dead, right? This is Hell and I am trapped here for all eternity, living a nightmare. Right?" Kaname questioned thoughtfully. "You are so kind to me though, why?"

Athena allowed Kaname to speak, she knew that it was helpful for a human to talk, even when the words they expelled were worthless. "No child, you are very much alive." Athena finally stated.

"Why am I here then? What are we doing?" Kaname began to cry as she curled her legs up and wrapped them in her arms. She allowed her head to roll listlessly until her nose touched the ground. She couldn't stop her tears from leaking as she fell deeper into depression. "I want to go home," she grumbled.

"I know," Athena replied. She allowed her eyes to flicker to the shackle and chain that held her to the room. "Soon, it will be all over."

"How long have you been here?" Kaname asked her, she gripped her eyes shut and they burned as she fought back the waterworks that she was predisposed to shed at her lowest moments.

"Two thousand six hundred and sixty eight years ago I was chained to this shackle," Athena replied in a whisper. Her eyes waxed over in deep thought as she flexed her fingertips. "I made a single mistake that led to this moment," she sighed wistfully.

"What was the mistake?" Kaname asked her as she gaped at the woman. She hadn't believed in mysticism when she first arrived, but the time spent within Othrys had changed her view on the world tremendously. "I want to know more about you."

Athena scoffed and crossed her legs. "Humans are always interested in the Gods when they are in trouble," she spoke through grit teeth as she stared at the young woman before her. "Each dynasty has risen and fallen with the fickle heart of man. It began with the gnashing beasts who live sealed away in the nether. They were the first and the worst. Then the era of the Titan began. They fought to seal away the first. Then we, usurped the Titans through guile and good business sense. We didn't eat our humans." she smiled for a moment. "I loved a human once," she spoke before her face fell once more.

Kaname listened intently as she watched Athena regurgitate thousands of years worth of history. She wondered if any one else alive today knew the secrets that Athena was sharing. "What happened then?" she pressed.

Athena turned her attention back on Kaname as she sighed. "We grew drunk with power. We mingled and interfered in the lives of those we were obligated to protect. New Gods and Goddesses sprang up, heroes walked the Earth, and there began a war that could have sundered this planet from the World Tree. The Titans waged a guerrilla war of attrition against us as the newcomers took our believers. It was not long before our shrines were disposed of and worship faded." she stared at the floor sadly as a shimmer of tears filled her eyes.

"You were captured?" Kaname asked slowly.

Athena shook her head. "I surrendered. I traded my freedom for the life of a human man. Pallas discovered my one weakness and took advantage of it. I gave up my eternity for servitude to protect the soul of a single person." she replied before clearing her throat. "So here we are!" she put on a cheerful face and smiled wide.

"What happened to him?" Kaname pushed softly. Her curiosity was piqued and she wanted to hear more. She found the escapism comforting.

"He lived? He died? I don't know," Athena sighed as she looked up towards the wall. "I like to believe that he met someone else, lived out his life, and his family still has roots on the planet to this day. Wouldn't it be nice?" she mused as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and draped it across her chest. She began to stroke her hair slowly as she hummed.

Kaname nodded her head as she allowed her eyes to close.

"Would you like to hear a song I used to sing him?" Athena questioned her.

"Yes," Kaname replied. She dozed off to the beautiful sound of the Goddess and her sweet song.

\scenebreak

Sousuke found himself having a difficult time concentrating in his computer science class. He had tucked several job applications into his pack and was currently reading them over as he reviewed their requirements. He sighed as he held his forehead in one hand while tapping his pen nervously on his thigh.

He wondered if he could survive as a common wage slave. He imagined what life would be like if he spent every day in a cubicle, coming home for a few hours each night, before returning to work. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to spend his time working for some random business.

He continued to flip through his job applications. Restaurant manager. Sales. Intern for Arm Slave research. He growled in frustration as he read the requirements. They expected him to work as a lackey or a slave for two years before they would consider him for a paid position. He scoffed.

Sousuke lifted the whole stack of applications up before crushing them in his hands unceremoniously. He noticed a few side ways glances in his direction as the papers rumpled into a pile. He stood and made his way to the trash can, disposed of them, and returned to his desk.

Sousuke could feel a sinking feeling in his stomach develop. He needed to line up work and soon. He would have mouths to feed and a family to provide for and he wasn't about to have to rely on someone else. Class ending pulled him from his concentrations as he stood and made his way to the front office.

"I would like to speak to a career services representative," Sousuke spoke as he approached a young lady behind the desk. She was typing at the computer but looked up and smiled as he approached. He assumed she was a student who had been hired to assist in the office.

"Sure, it'll be a few moments," the girl replied. She pressed on the bridge of her glasses with her index finger as she gestured for Sousuke to take a seat amongst a line of chairs. He sat, crossed his legs, and placed his hands in his lap as he stared straight ahead.

A short while later, Sousuke was summoned into a small and cramped office. The woman who ran the Nekomi Institute Job Placement Services division was a short woman with short hair. She wore glasses and a wide smile that seemed friendly enough.

"My name is Christine and I am here to help you any way I can Mr. Sagara," she spoke to him as she began to shuffled papers around on her desk. She motioned for him to sit and he did so.

"I am looking for a career. I am starting a family," Sousuke replied with a serious tone. The word family felt weird on his tongue and he experienced a strange jolt in the pit of his stomach.

"Congratulations!" Christine spoke cheerfully. "You are getting married?" she queried.

"Not yet," Sousuke replied. He hadn't thought about marriage. He was busy thinking about jobs, careers, and education. The idea of being married seemed foreign to him. He had tried to get married once before. Would Urd even want to get married? She was having his child, was she obligated to marry him too?

Christine extended a packet towards Sousuke that caught his attention. "These are a list of companies that are currently hiring. I saw that you had military experience in your file." she spoke in a friendly tone. "I circled a few of these jobs that are known for hiring veterans. One of them in particular just began advertising for new employees.

Sousuke allowed his eyes to travel over the papers as she spoke. "Military Adviser - Arm Slave Experience" caught his attention. He began to read the paper as she continued to speak to him. 'Advanced Dynamic Electronic Armaments is currently sourcing applications for a military adviser position. This position will require the hired to spend time in exotic locales, assist in training and education, and perform limited para-military operation actions from a leadership role.' Sousuke felt his interest rising as he set the rest of the applications down and held the Adviser application up.

"That is the newest one, it was so strange, they contacted me earlier and faxed over those documents asking if they could advertise here at the college. They knew about our Arm Slave education division and said they were willing to work with non-military applicants if necessary." Christine shrugged as she grinned at Sousuke. "Would you like to apply for this one? I recommend applying for all of them though." she spoke.

"I would but I believe I need assistance with my resume." Sousuke replied. He reached into his bag and removed a copy of his resume that he then handed to Christine. He felt self conscious as she began to read. "I joined a foreign private military company at a young age, have numerous campaigns worth of experience, and have added my experience here at Nekomi Tech." he spoke as he looked at the woman.

Christine read his resume and looked down at the application. "I think you might really fit in here, I am going to help you get this application in, and then I will call them and let them know you have applied. Hopefully we can get you in for an interview at least." she replied as she stood and motioned Sousuke to follow her. "We should fill all of this out on the computer."

Sousuke wondered what private military company he was really applying to. It was common knowledge that any military adviser position would either be for a Government or one of a handful of companies including Mithril, Amalgam, and others. He thought about contacting Tessa and asking her about the ADEA corporation, but decided against it. He didn't want to solicit help from any of his contacts in his search for a position.

"Do you know who ADEA is affiliated with?" Sousuke questioned Christine as they sat the computer and began to fill out his application. "Do they have a parent company?" he offered.

"I don't really know," Christine replied as she assisted him in filling out the documents and submitting them on line. "My understanding is that they are a brand new and independent company. The woman I spoke to stated that they had only recently started hiring from sources outside their normal channels."

Sousuke felt his ears twitch at the words 'normal channels', and immediately deduced they were a Government agency experimenting with civilian augmentation. That would mean relatively good benefits, mediocre pay, and a pension. He assumed that Government would have to be either Japan, the United States, or an ally of one of those groups. There was no way a Government antagonistic to Japan could be hiring from their colleges, at least not this openly.

Sousuke did not hesitate in filling out the on line documents, submitting his supporting papers, and providing a digital signature through their website. "I believe this company would make a good fit for me," he spoke to Christine as they finalized his packet. "What actions should I investigate next?"

"Well, it looks like it will be a waiting game. I will try to call them and see if I can't weasel you an interview," she replied as she smiled even wider. "Why don't you take some of these other applications home and fill them out?"

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. He dreaded the idea of pinning his hopes on a single application but he had a strong desire to investigate the adviser position. "Thank you for your time and efforts in assisting me." He stood, drew up the documents he was provided, and reached out to shake her hand.

Sousuke prepared his back pack and made his way out to his bike. He thought for a moment before deciding to stop in to pick up a couple of beers before heading home. He laced his helmet to his head, latched his backpack to the rear seat and started the vehicle before making his way out of the nearly deserted school.

Sousuke was riding at a leisurely pace as he made his way towards the corner store near where they lived. He was looking forward to getting home, cracking open a few beers, and settling in with Urd for a pleasant evening. He wondered if he should or could purchase her sake, unsure of her physiology during her nesting phase.

The only sound Sousuke heard was a mangling crunch as a car darted past a stop sign and collided with the rear swing arm of his motorcycle. The rear half of the $1000$RR collapsed under the blow from the car and was sucked under the front bumper, bringing it to a sudden halt. The momentum threw him over the handlebars and he sailed through the air for several seconds before impacting with the pavement with a breathe stealing thud. Sousuke slid across the ground for almost forty feet before slowing to a stop. He immediately pushed himself up to a standing position and stumbled into the median, he prayed no one would run over him.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," he chanted as he tried to move his left arm. It dangled uselessly at his side as he bent at the waist and held his knee with his right hand. "Holy fuck," he continued to speak. A few moments later he was surrounded by the first group of responders. A group of men had filed out of a restaurant near by and were approaching him. He knew they were speaking to him but he simply couldn't register what they were saying.

The woman driving the car that had struck him sat behind the wheel with a shocked look on her face. She seemed to be unwilling to exit the vehicle as she simply gaped at him. White smoke escaped from her hood where the Honda was pinned beneath her front end.

A gentleman leaned down on one knee to face Sousuke, "Are you all right? We are calling you an ambulance," he spoke as he inspected him.

"I can't feel my arm," Sousuke replied as he shook his shoulder. The arm continued to dangle limply at his side.

"Yea, this guy is hurt really bad. He can't feel his arm," a man repeated into a cell phone as they stood around staring at him.

"You fucking bitch," Sousuke yelled as he turned to face the car that had struck him. "You god damn bitch!" he continued to yell. Several of the men moved to block him from the vehicle, but he didn't feel he could walk the few feet it would take to engage her. His anger fueled his words as he seethed and yelled.

\scenebreak

Urd dropped her glass of water on the floor of the kitchen. She felt a surge of panic and fear as her gut twisted into knots. "Sousuke!" she cried out as she began to look about the room.

Skuld, Belldandy, and Keiichi looked up from where they sat at the kitchen table. They had been waiting for the soldier to get home before serving dinner.

"What happened Urd?" Belldandy questioned her sister as she stood.

"Something happened to Sousuke, I can feel it." She spoke as she began to tear up. "My magic doesn't work. I can't go to him," she spat angrily. "I know something happened though, I can sense it."

Belldandy moved to the front room and waved her hands at the television. The screen morphed to show what should be visible from one of the mirrors on the bike. The screen showed a spider web like crack and the reflection of a smoking hood.

"That's a car hood," Keiichi spoke slowly as he stared at the carnage through the screen.

Urd screamed as she stared at the screen. She bellowed a baleful moan that made the hairs on Keiichi's neck stand on end. Skuld moved to hold Urd as she raged and cried.

A few moments later the phone began to ring. Keiichi raced to the hallway before snapping the phone up. "Yes?" he blurted into the phone. "Yes, we do know him." he continued.

"What? What is happening?" Urd yelled as she rushed towards him. She began to reach for the phone but Skuld held her back.

"OK. Uhuh. Thank you sir," Keiichi spoke into the phone before hanging up. "He is headed to the hospital in an ambulance. They said he is lucid but he can't move his arm. Some lady ran a stop sign and hit him," he explained quickly.

"Get me to the hospital. Now!" Urd growled at Keiichi. She pointed towards the door as her brow furrowed and a rage filled glaze overtook her eyes.

"I will go ahead and see if there is anything I can do, with your permission," Belldandy spoke up as she made eye contact with Urd.

Urd nodded once and watched as Belldandy touched the television screen. She faded away and Urd felt her chest pang. She was frustrated with her inability to do magic during her current state.

"I'll take Banpei," Skuld finally spoke. She looked white as a sheet as she rustled around in her pockets for a key. She withdrew the jangling pile and unhooked the key to her modified Banpei-RR motorcycle. The three made their way out of the house and towards the bikes.

Keiichi mounted his bike and started it. The bike started right up, it almost seemed to know that it was needed. Urd clambered into the side car and leaned back with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked absolutely furious.

Skuld hopped onto her Banpei-RR, inserted the key, and fired the bike up. It began to whine as the jet engines spooled up and began to hum with a low tenor. "I'll follow you," she spoke up over the din of the bikes as she pointed at Keiichi. He nodded once in return before pulling out at a safe and leisurely pace.

\scenebreak

Belldandy appeared in a room occupied by a lone child. He lay in bed with the blankets pulled up over his head with a mass of wires and tubes leading out from under the sheets towards a lazily beeping device. His pulse, oxygen levels, and assorted other information showed on the screen. A single cross lay on the nightstand next to him.

Belldandy began to exit the room but halted. She turned, approached the boy, and placed her right hand on his foot. A soft blue glow began to emanate from her palm as she charged him with healing energy. She smiled when he opened his eyes and stared at her. She forgot to control herself and her wings rose up and out as she wordlessly healed the boy.

The boy didn't speak as his eyes grew wide like saucers. He turned his head to look at the cross on the table before returning his eyes to the woman before him. His eyes never left Belldandy again as she finally hid her wings, winked, and exited the room. She was well aware that it wasn't her place to provide boons to the sick, but she was in the vicinity, and it was obviously a karmic debt that she could remove. She turned down the hall and made her way to reception where she inquired about Sousuke.

"I'm looking for a Sousuke Sagara," Belldandy spoke to the woman sitting behind the desk. She smiled sweetly as she stared at her. She could have easily made her way to him, but it was always easier to do things as a human would do in the human world. It raised less questions.

"He is being held in the emergency room, are you his...?" the woman allowed her voice to trail off as she looked at Belldandy.

"Family," Belldandy replied calmly. "I was in the area and got here first. There will be three more headed here shortly," she spoke with ease as she began to turn towards the emergency admittance section of the hospital.

"You can wait over there, and when they have him ready, they will allow immediate family to see him," the woman spoke easily as she pointed in the direction Belldandy was headed.

The emergency room appeared mostly deserted, with only a handful of individuals sitting about who appeared to be in only the most minor distress. Belldandy relaxed into a hard plastic chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched the door to the emergency room. She incanted a soft prayer asking for the safety of Sousuke.

Several minutes later a distressed looking Urd, Keiichi, and Skuld arrived. The three approached her immediately. "Is he all right?" Urd spoke quickly as she turned to stare at the door.

"He is being seen by the doctors. We will be allowed to see him when they have completed their inspection," Belldandy replied softly. She held her hand out to the side over one of the empty seats and nodded once, urging Urd to take a seat. "Patience Urd, Mr. Sousuke will be just fine, I am sure."

Urd huffed for a moment before resigning to her fate and taking the seat to the left of Belldandy. She plopped down hard and the noise caused several individuals in the waiting room to look up at her.

Skuld moved to the side of Urd and Keiichi sat next to Belldandy on her other side.

"I am going to take my thumbs and press them into the eye sockets of the woman who ran him over, then I am going to stir my claws around inside her head until her brains fall out of her nose," Urd growled as she held her hands out in front of herself, the claws on her thumbs began to slowly extend but she withdrew them when Belldandy tapped her leg once with an admonishing pat.

Skuld began to laugh as she stared at Urd incredulously. "I think that you would get in some trouble for that," she spoke up as she shook her head. "Could you imagine what THAT story would look like on the news back home?" The little Goddess mimicked Urd and pretended to be gouging with her thumbs as well before laughing again.

Belldandy could only shake her head before the group fell into companionable silence again. It was several minutes later before the door opened and a young girl approached the group.

"Are you Urd?" she asked as she looked at Belldandy.

"I am," Urd interrupted as she moved to her feet. Her body radiated heat as she looked down her nose at the girl. "Is Sousuke all right?" she questioned the girl as she began to enter her personal space.

"They are ready for you to come see him. He can only have two visitors at a time," the girl spoke as she shied away from Urd nervously. She seemed intimidated by the intense behavior of the Goddess.

"Take Skuld," Belldandy spoke as she waved the pair forward. "He will be most pleased to see you two," Belldandy smiled as she leaned onto the shoulder of Keiichi. "We can wait for you two here."

Skuld kicked out with her legs before hopping up out of the chair and next to Urd. "Leave it to Sousuke to get himself hurt again," she spoke as she shook her head and clucked her tongue. Skuld grinned spryly at Urd as she motioned her forward.

The young girl led the pair past the door and into the emergency room proper. Doctors bustled about as they spread open curtains to reach patients, handled paper work, and spoke to nurses and other care takers. Urd was surprised by all of the activity happening just beyond the door, when the waiting room seemed so morose and boring.

The trio made their way around a corner and to a small room currently occupied by Sousuke and a male nurse. The male nurse was sitting on a stool next to Sousuke, his hands were gloved, and he was currently attempting to debride a patch of road rash that Sousuke had attained where his riding leathers had torn.

Urd rushed past the woman and made her way over to Sousuke. She reached out to hold the hand he extended with both of hers as she began to sob.

"I am fine," Sousuke spoke comfortingly as he smiled at her encouragingly. His up turned lips looked positively diabolical in his own special way, and Urd scrunched her face as she looked at him. "We are going to get my wounds cleaned and I will be headed home today," he continued to lay motionless.

Skuld entered behind Urd at a leisurely pace before looking down at the ground where a pile of riding leathers sat. She approached his gear and picked up the jacket and pants where she inspected them. The jacket was scuffed and the leather looked to have upheld its mission of protecting his skin to the very end. The pants on the other hand seemed to have been torn on impact with the ground and a gash in the leather outlined where the road rash injury sat on his body. The helmet had a massive scratch up the back and onto the side where his ear would have been, it appeared to have done it's job well.

"I am almost done here," the man spoke quietly as he looked up at the two Goddesses. He seemed impressed with Urd and Skuld as he worked. "You are right, your girlfriend is very pretty," he smiled as he spoke to Sousuke. He finished by placing a clear gel like substance on his wound before covering it in a simple bandage. "How is the arm?" he asked one last time as he stood.

"Weak and it hurts, so that is a good sign," Sousuke replied as he wiggled the fingers on his left arm. The soldier nodded his head in thanks as Urd refused to release his hand.

"You naked under those blankets?" Skuld questioned after the man left. She waggled her eye brows at Sousuke before crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall. She had the good sense to look abashed under the fiery gaze of Urd.

"Yes," Sousuke replied as he looked at Skuld and rolled his eyes. "The leathers seem to be destroyed and I tore my shorts during the ride on my back I took," he confirmed as he looked at Skuld.

Skuld snapped her fingers and a pair of shorts and a shirt appeared on the bed, as a pair of socks and some shoes appeared on the floor. "That all right?" she asked him as she pointed at the clothing.

"It will do," Sousuke confirmed as he tried to crane his neck to look at the clothing. He could barely lift himself off the bed.

"Don't move," Urd spoke softly. She reached down and grabbed the clothing before turning to face Skuld. "You mind?"

"Oh please," Skuld replied as she pushed herself off the wall. She rolled her eyes as she approached Urd and grabbed the shirt. She walked around the bed before gripping the sheet that Sousuke was laying on. "You grab that corner and we lift evenly," she stated as the pair hefted Sousuke up into a sitting position.

Urd and Skuld helped him put his shirt on, with Skuld very carefully lifting his left arm up and into the shirt. Urd then grabbed the shorts and drew the blanket away before helping Sousuke shuffle into them. Skuld helped lift him until he was clothed. "There," she stated as they helped him lay down again.

"Thanks," Sousuke spoke with a tinge of embarrassment. "I guess you paid attention in the combat life savers class I gave you," he spoke as he smirked at her.

"You know, Shinji has one of those things," Skuld stated as she pointed at Sousukes' lap. "But his is big." She grinned wildly as Sousuke began to laugh at her. "Sorry," she mouthed at Urd with a wink.

"There is something wrong with you two," Urd spoke up as she shook her head. "You are going to give me a heart attack." She scowled at Sousuke as he rubbed at his eyes with his good hand.

Sousuke was issued a prescription for pain killers and discharged after several hours. Urd and he took a cab to return home while Skuld rode the Banpei-RR. Belldandy rode with Keiichi on his bike. During the ride, Belldandy questioned Keiichi about his riding habits and appeared much more concerned about his motorcycle than usual.

It wasn't long before the group arrived home and Sousuke made his way to the bedroom to lay down. Skuld and Urd practically carried him to the room before laying him down on the futon. "Thanks," Sousuke held up his hand and Skuld grabbed it for a moment and squeezed.

"No problems, just get well," Skuld replied as she smiled down at him. She then stood and faced Urd. "You need anything? You all right?"

"I'm fine, thanks for all the help," Urd replied. She hesitated for a moment before holding up a hand and holding Skuld back. "Thanks, really. I know you are going to do well in Valkyrie school. I believe in you," she spoke with a smile.

Skuld reached out and hugged Urd before letting her go and heading out of the room. The tiny Goddess made her way to her room and stopped at the door before turning and making her way to the hall way. She picked up the phone and began to dial a number. She waited for it to ring.

Shinji Kazama was eating a chocolate covered pretzel snack as he lounged on the floor of his dorm room. A stack of books surrounded him like small parapets as he fought valiantly to concentrate on the assignments he had been doled out. "I'd rather be fighting monsters in Hell," he hissed to himself as he perused several pages worth of mathematical formulas.

The sound of a popular love song began to play as the crumple of papers vibrating interrupted his study session. Shinji began to fumbled around under pages until he located his cell phone. He didn't stop to look at the front as the ring tone confirmed who could be calling him. "Hello!", he spoke cheerfully.

Skuld spoke gruffly into the phone as soon as she heard Shinji answer. "Hey, This is Mr. T, you gave me your number last night, heard you like my necklace," she fought back a laugh.

"Funny Skuld, how are you doing?" Shinji rolled his eyes as he shook his head.

"No fool, this is Mr. T, I heard you got a real pretty mouth," she continued before cracking up into laughter. She couldn't contain herself any longer and she snorted into the phone.

"Very funny," Shinji replied as he sat cross legged on the floor. He reached down and picked up another pretzel stick before placing it between his teeth and nibbling. He waited for the little Goddess to calm down.

"So let me finish the whole thing before you freak out, but Sousuke got hit by a car," Skuld spoke quickly, she continued as soon as she heard Shinji gasp. "He is fine, totally OK. He is home and in bed with Urd, gross, but really he is fine," she spoke as quickly as possible.

"Oh my God," Shinji replied as he stood. "What can I do?" he questioned her.

"Is your room mate there?" Skuld questioned him.

"Yes," Shinji replied as he looked over to the other half of the room. He spied his dorm mate working at a lap top with a look of concentration on his face.

Skuld fussed with the phone cord as she bit her lip. She made a thinking noise as she listened to Shinji breathing softly on the other side of the line. "I'm going to rent a hotel room near your dorm and I will come pick you up in a bit," she finally spoke.

"Hotel dorm do what?" Shinji blurted out as he turned to face his back towards his now staring room mate. "Tonight?"

"Yea, is that all right with you?" Skuld questioned him in a tone of voice that dripped insecurity. "I am going to be leaving for Valkyrie training any time now and I don't feel like sleeping alone tonight. I won't even make you sleep on the floor," she continued.

"Yes," Shinji spoke firmly. "Sure, yes, I'll be waiting outside for you," he confirmed as he began to pack up his homework and stuff the loose papers into the maw of the books.

"I'll be there soon," Skuld replied before withdrawing the key to her Banpei-RR. She hung up the phone and made her way to the common room of the house. She located Sousukes' helmet and hefted it up, it was a bit big but she was able to shrink it using her magic. She gripped the helmet and pulled it down over her head before cinching it up. She knew she didn't need the helmet, but it felt like something she needed to do. A show of solidarity for Sousuke.

Skuld wiggled her head around in order to get a better feel for the helmet before picking up the jacket and putting it on, it was over sized on her petite frame. She left it the same size and simply pinned back the massive sleeves. She then located a pen and paper and left a note stating that she would be out until tomorrow and not to wait up for her.


	5. Ah! A Goddess Has No Shame?

Belldandy busied herself in the kitchen as she waited for the rest of the members of the house hold to stir. She held a spatula in one hand and a single egg in the other as she stood in front of a heating pan on the oven. A few moments later she was cracking the egg on the edge of the spatula and tossing the contents into the pan to sizzle. She repeated the action several times until she felt she had enough for each member of the house.

The Goddess hummed softly as she tossed bacon to the side of the pan and began to roll the pan around, allowing the bacon grease to coat the eggs. She decided that a hearty comfort food breakfast was warranted considering the circumstances. She snapped her fingers and the fridge opened and a bottle of orange juice floated out slowly. The cap popped off and the bottle began to tip out its contents into several glasses that had been left on the counter. The flying bottle then recapped itself and flew back into the fridge.

Belldandy could hear the stirring of Keiichi as he made his way from his bedroom to the bathroom. She could hear Sousuke opening the door to their bedroom as Urd complained and groaned. She couldn't hear Skuld though. She hoped she wasn't feeling poorly.

"Good morning," Sousuke spoke as he hobbled into the kitchen. He wore a sling for his arm and was bent at the waist. He grimaced as he pulled back his chair and sat slowly.

"Good morning, are you feeling any better?" Belldandy questioned as she looked at him. She smiled sweetly before picking up a glass of juice and carrying it over to sit it in front of him.

"Much better, thank you," Sousuke replied. He flexed his left hand inside the sling several times before stopping abruptly. He seemed to be in much more pain than he let on.

"Morning," Keiichi yawned as he too entered the kitchen. He stretched his arms over his head before sitting at the table as well. "It smells great this morning," he sniffed the air several times before wiping at his mouth with the back of his arm, just in case he had began drooling.

"Sousuke, I told you to wait for me, so I could help you put on your shirt," Urd grumbled as she entered the room rubbing her eyes. She shot an exasperated look at her charge before pulling out a chair and sitting next to him. Her hair was messy and she wore a pair of pants and a shirt that belonged to Sousuke. Her inability to use magic was taxing her as she found it foreign to have to dress herself like a human.

"I forgot," Sousuke replied as he scratched at his cheek. He grinned slyly at her, which only made her more exasperated.

"Where is Skuld?" Keiichi questioned as Belldandy finished serving the plates. Her normally filled seat was empty, which was very uncharacteristic for Skuld.

Belldandy stood and made her way down the hall, knocked twice on Skuld's door, and waited. After several seconds without an answer she pushed the door open and peered inside. The room was filled with electronics and military paraphernalia, but there didn't seem to be any sign of Skuld.

"Skuld?" Belldandy questioned before closing the door and looking about the house. She entered several more rooms, calling out her name each time, until she made her way back to the kitchen. "Skuld is missing," Belldandy spoke with worry in her voice.

Sousuke snorted before placing his right hand on the table. He heaved himself up and hobbled over to the window, pulling the blinds apart with his thumb and forefinger he peered out at the parking area for the bikes. "Her bike is gone," he stated before turning and making his way over to the telephone in the hallway. He lifted the note and read it silently for a moment.

"What does it say?" Urd asked as she watched him.

Sousuke replied as he lifted the telephone handset and placed it on the table. He pressed the "redial" button with his good hand and then picked up the handset. "She said she went out and for us not to worry."

"What?" Belldandy asked incredulously as she crossed her arms and scowled at Urd. "What got into her?" she continued to speak as Sousuke looked at her with the handset pressed to his ear.

Skuld grumbled as the sound of a song jerked her awake. She looked across the bed at a cell phone gently tumbling towards the edge as it vibrated and made noise. "Kill it... Kill it with fire," she groaned as she lifted her arm from Shinjis chest and pointed at the phone.

Shinji continued to sleep so she leaned her head forward and bit him on the shoulder. The action rewarded her with a very much awake Shinji as he squeezed her tighter with one arm against her bare back while trying to pry her head off of him with the other.

"Ow!" he cried out before turning and looking at the phone. He stopped pushing on Skuld's forehead with his right hand before swiveling and reaching out to pick up the phone. He showed the number to Skuld before pressing the button and answering it. "Hello?" he stuttered.

Sousuke paused for a moment before asking very calmly into the handset, "Is Skuld there?" He could hear a feminine voice in the background quietly giving orders under her breath.

"No," Shinji spoke unenthusiastically as he lied at the behest of Skuld. She had stated very plainly that he should be "very careful" in how he replied to Sousuke. So he simply denied she was even there.

"Right," Sousuke replied. He thought for a moment before continuing. "If she is safe, I want you to reply with the words 'I love Arm Slaves', is that clear?"

"I love Arm Slaves," Shinji replied quickly.

"Thanks," Sousuke spoke before hanging up. He shrugged. "She seems to be fine. She is with Shinji, they apparently were together," he began to make his way past Belldandy and back towards the plate of food that he wanted so badly.

"Excuse me Mr. Sousuke," Belldandy spoke up as she watched him retreat to the kitchen. She smiled so wide that her eyes were shut, she was obviously upset and trying very hard not to make it obvious. "Can you elaborate?" she continued.

Sousuke turned, looked at her, and shrugged before turning back to the kitchen and making his way to his seat. He watched Urd slide into her seat beside him and before he could reach for his fork she had snatched it up and began feeding him. He wanted to laugh but he simply humored her.

"I am going to go get her," Belldandy growled as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen.

Sousuke swallowed before speaking up, "She will be home soon. Just let her come back by herself or you might upset her," he stated before Urd slipped another fork full of egg into his mouth. He chewed quickly before swallowing as Urd was quickly shoveling another load towards him.

"I don't think I care if she is upset," Belldandy replied, her creepy cheerfulness was unsettling to the group as they watched her bottle up her rage.

"Maybe you should have a seat and eat first," Keiichi spoke up as he slipped past Belldandy and took his seat. He began to eat as well as he watched his Goddess carefully.

Belldandy grumbled before pulling the seat back and sitting. She grabbed her fork firmly as she clenched her teeth and began to crush the eggs up before picking them up with a scooping motion and jamming them into her mouth. She chewed a little too loudly as she stared at Sousuke with a maniacal grin on her face.

Sousuke darted his eyes about in an effort not to make eye contact with her as he stared straight ahead. He felt distinctly uncomfortable as the group continued to eat in silence. He struggled to keep a straight face as Urd began to rub a strip of bacon across his lower lip while Belldandy huffed harder and harder.

"Oh Sousuke, eat me," Urd whispered as she pressed the bacon against his face. Sousuke recoiled and began to laugh before straightening up with a pained look on his face. He shifted his gaze at Urd as she and Keiichi began to laugh as well.

"This is no laughing matter," Belldandy barked exasperatedly. She set her fork down hard on the table before standing up and scowling at each of them in turn. "Skuld isn't old enough to be staying over with a man," she spat as she turned on Urd in hopes of receiving some form of confirmation.

"Skuld is one hundred and thirty seven years old," Urd replied as she looked at Belldandy.

"That is almost a thousand dog years," Sousuke offered as he bit down into another strip of bacon. He smiled encouragingly at Belldandy as Urd confirmed with a nod.

"More than old enough for doggy style," Keiichi spoke quietly. He grinned as he stared down at the table abashed.

"Ah! I'm hit," Sousuke cried out in laughter as he held his arm tight. His eyes filled with tears as he began to laugh so hard he was choking. The pain of the laughter causing him to grimace as he fought to contain himself. Urd joined him in uproarious laughter as she pointed at Keiichi, her breath stolen from her by his comment. "You got me," Sousuke spluttered to Keiichi as he bent at the waist and continued to laugh.

Belldandy slapped both of her hands on the table before rounding on Keiichi. "Mr. Keiichi, I am appalled!" she admonished him as he sheepishly looked up at her.

"Bell, I'm sorry," he spoke between chuckles as he shot furtive glances at Urd and Sousuke laughing. The entire table was shaking as each of them shook with laughter.

The sound of the jet powered motorcycle that Skuld rode filled with air with a high pitched whine as she pulled into the yard. Urd began to shush every one at the table as they attempted to recompose themselves.

Sousuke leaned back in his seat, still cradling his arm as he stared at a particularly interesting point in the ceiling of the kitchen. Urd crossed her legs and leaned against Sousuke, she held out her left hand and began to inspect her nails very carefully with a serious look on her face. Keiichi stared down at his empty plate with his hands under the table clasped together.

Belldandy stood with a furrowed brow and slit eyes as she crossed her arms and held a angry grin. She ground her teeth together as she waited for Skuld to enter the kitchen. Belldandy radiated heat as her ears twitched every time one of the three in the room with her fought back laughter or snorted.

"Hey guys," Skuld spoke up as she entered the room. She held Sousukes' helmet under her arm and she narrowed her gaze as she eyed their strange behavior. "You guys all right?" she asked cautiously as she noticed how oddly posed each of them were in relation to Belldandy.

Urd grunted softly in greeting as Sousuke closed his eyes and lifted his right hand to wave at her. Keiichi could only nod his head a few times.

"Look what the cat drug in," Belldandy growled as she rounded on Skuld. She pointed at the now cold platter of food and grin maniacally. "Sit and eat, my dear sister," she spoke through grit teeth as she pulled back the seat.

Sousuke grunted as Urd whispered the words "The dog drug in", causing Keiichi to place his left hand over his face and lean forward harder. His shoulders shook violently as he opened his mouth and placed his hand into it and began to bite down.

Skuld noticed their increasingly odd behavior and thought to inquire about it but ignored it and took her seat. She tasted the eggs before moving to stand, but she froze as Belldandy snapped her fingers and the food became uncomfortably hot.

"Eat," Belldandy commanded in a devilishly friendly way.

"Thanks," Skuld replied as she looked up at her, she unzipped the leather jacket she wore and shrugged out of it before allowing it to hang off of the back of the chair. She could feel Belldandy staring at her in an attempt to identify any new marks. She ignored her pointedly as she hefted her fork and began to eat.

Belldandy reached down and picked up the helmet that Skuld had sat on the floor next to her seat. She looked at it before rounding on Sousuke. "Did you send her out last night? What is she doing wearing this trash?" Belldandy barked.

Sousuke sobered quickly before looking at her. Urd turned stony as she faced Belldandy. Keiichi looked positively fearful as the three began to square up in anger.

Skuld stood up angrily and held out her arms before spinning them over from front to back several times. She then shrugged out of her shirt and the pair of pants she was wearing before turning and pointing at her boy short covered butt. "Nothing, see?" she spat at Belldandy. "Sousuke didn't encourage me to do anything. I am a grown woman and I can do what ever it is I want," Skuld yelled as she stepped out of her pants and bent to pick them up. She then tossed her clothing over her should before reaching out and yanking the helmet from Belldandy and hefted the jacket up as well. She held her clothes up over her chest before marching out of the room in a fit.

Keiichi was red in the face as he looked at Belldandy. He seemed embarrassed by her behavior. "Maybe you need to calm down a little?" he asked her softly as he held up his hands in an attempt to placate her. He had never seen Belldandy so bothered and wasn't entirely sure how to handle it.

Skuld approached her door and it opened without touch, it slammed hard before she passed the entrance and it closed behind her with much the same force. She tossed her clothing across the room before setting the helmet down softly on the bed. She held her hands in tiny balled fists as she breathed hard and stared at the mirror in her room. She wiped at her eyes for a moment before stepping forward with her left foot and lifting her arm straight up. A small red rose on a bed of thorny vines was visible on the muscles just above her arm pit, her first tattoo from physical contact. She stroked it a few times with her finger tips before setting her arm down and hiding it once more.

A knocking sound caused her to whirl around and face the door, she didn't answer as she waited for the person bothering her to identify themselves. She felt a strong desire to rage and scream but settled with barking an angry "Who is it?" in the direction of the door.

"Can I come in please?" Belldandy replied. She had the good sense to sound suitably defeated as she waited for Skuld to answer her.

"Ugh!" Skuld moaned as she threw her head back and allowed her shoulders to slump dejectedly. She picked up a shirt off of the ground and pulled it over her head before moving to the door and throwing it open to glare at Belldandy. "What?" she snapped.

"I want to apologize for getting upset with you and I was wrong," Belldandy spoke calmly as she looked at her sister. "I just don't want you to do something you are going to regret later, I really do love you," she continued as she continued to speak.

Skuld nodded her head as she averted her eyes from Belldandy. She felt a strong desire to show her the mark under her arm but she decided against it. It wasn't the right time to admit that she and Shinji had done more than sleep. She simply couldn't bring herself to explain to Belldandy what she did.

"I accept your apology but you need to understand that I am a adult and I can make my own decisions," Skuld sighed as she drew her eyes to Belldandy.

"I respect that, just be cautious, please," Belldandy nodded once before turning and walking away. Skuld noticed that her eyes were puffy and red and she pawed at them with her wrist once she faced her back to her.

"Hey Bell," Skuld called out as she drew her arms around her own body and hugged herself.

"Yes?" Belldandy inquired as she turned to face Skuld.

"Thanks," Skuld replied softly.

\scenebreak

Marller took a deep breathe as she gripped a black leather satchel in her hands. She was wearing her favorite pants suit and kept a pen tucked behind her ear. She stood nervously in front of the door to the inner chambers of the castle. She had worked with Hild for a long time but she was still impressed and intimidated every time she had to present herself to the Lord of Demons.

The door opened noiselessly and it surprised Marller. Hild must have known she was dawdling at the entrance, and this was her polite method of informing her to get on with it. She reached up and adjusted her collar with one hand before taking one more deep breathe. She stepped into the room and walked purposefully past rows of demonic creatures.

"Marller! How are you dear?" Hild spoke excitedly as she stood from her seat at the head of a massive U shaped table made of red wood. "Do you have good news for me?" she continued as she extended her hand and motioned for her to take a seat at the table within the U bend directly in front of Hild.

"I do," Marller spoke confidently as she placed the satchel down on the table, jimmied the zipper open, and withdrew a stack of papers. She sorted through several folders before placing one in front of Hild. "This is our agreement documentation that will need to be signed for us to go forward with the hiring process," she stated as she pointed at the papers.

"Another reassurance that we won't pluck from Valhalla?" Hild rolled her eyes as she pulled up a pen and began to read. "Swear that we won't remove warriors from the halls of the slain, no contact, and fair and equal distribution during the end times of Ragnarök," she spat the words as she stared at them. "Plenty of dead warriors itching to work, and we have to go through with this scheme because 'Oh, my souls rights!', I hate these bureaucratic idiots."

Marller chuckled as she drew out another pile of contracts with the Mithril letter head plaster across them. "Mithril will be providing us with a level of consulting, but the majority of day to day operations will be managed through our shell company, ADEA," she spoke as she held out another contract. "It is expected that they will provide up to three years of advisory assistance, but we shouldn't really need them after two."

"The exchange rates between Hell and Earth are still really strong, eh?" Hild grinned as she looked at the cost of the contract. She had no issues with providing the wealth necessary from their budget to cover the cost of taking Mithril into retainership. "Seems almost criminal how cheap this is," she continued to speak as she thumbed over the pages of the contract.

"Agreed," Marller replied as she watched Hild finisher signing the documents and stamping them with a signet ring. They officiated the contract and it was returned to the satchel. "I have a stack of resumes ready to review. I have a REALLY interesting one too," she spoke quietly as she leaned towards Hild.

"How interesting?" Hild asked as she stood to walk Marller to the door. Hild slowly floated up and over the U bend of the table before landing next to Marller. She motioned forward and began to guide her towards the door.

"Sousuke," Marller replied bluntly. She felt her lip twitch in delight as Hild shot her a look that oozed excitement. "I don't think he knows that it is us, since he applied through his school."

"How positively intriguing that we could advertise our position where someone like him might see it," Hild nodded as she feigned surprise. "The initial interviewers will include Tessa, a 'neutral' Goddess, and yourself?"

"Lind is her name," Marller confirmed. "I wouldn't call her neutral. She has been ordered to over see the hiring process and assist in providing an 'independent' review of our processes," Marller grumbled as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair. "We have interacted with her before."

"Oh! I remember," Hild nodded as she reached out and opened the door. "I trust you to pick the best fit and manage this Goddess issue as best as you can," Hild smiled before gesturing to the exit with her wrist.

"My Lord," Marller replied before bowing and exiting. She held the satchel close to her body and made her way through the castle, her eyes darting over the reconstruction they had completed. Eventually she made her way into a nearly deserted atrium, manned by a single decrepit fiend.

"Ma'am," the hobbling and bent demon spoke as he bent at the waist and flourished his hands towards her. "What can this lowly creature do for such a specimen of true demon beauty?"

Marller rolled her eyes and grinned before heaving the satchel onto the counter. She slid it towards the horned creature before her and began to provide her orders. "I need this delivered to heaven, care of a Goddess named Lind," she explained as she pointed at the leather bag. "In addition, I need you to make a copy and forward it on to a Tessa Testarossa of Mithril. Understand?"

The demon flashed a toothy smile at her as he nodded his head. "Any thing for the Lords favorite," he spoke before bowing again. He reached up with his clawed hands and gathered up the satchel before shoving it up into his under arm. "Does the Mistress desire any thing else?" he spoke as he waggled his eye brows at her.

"That will do," she replied before turning and exiting the room. She still had numerous resumes to review before deciding on exactly where they planned to interview the applicants. She had a very busy schedule and needed to get started as soon as possible.

\scenebreak

Skuld lay on her back in her bedroom, the lights were dim and the only noise she could hear was the soft electric hum of one of her numerous devices she had created over the years. She stood and eye balled her clock. It showed that it was much too early to be awake and she contemplated holding her eyes shut until she fell asleep or morning came.

"Screw it," she huffed quietly. The tiny Goddess stood and made her way to her closet. She opened it and peered inside at the shadowy objects within. She finally located a spool of telephone cord that she snaked her arm through. She walked to the door and took a deep breath before pressing against the door firmly in order to load the mechanism. She then slowly pressed it back until the door opened fully without a sound. She grinned to herself.

The house was silent but for the normal noises that filled the air. She could hear a water heater burbling, a fan rotating softly in Keiichi's room, and a gentle breeze rustling trees out in the garden. She continued to listen for several minutes before her curiosity was satisfied and she made her way to the phone in the hallway.

Skuld knelt and crawled under the table, she extended her fingertips outwards and began to feel against the wall until she located the phone jack. She unhooked it and replaced the cord with the massive spool she carried. She then hooked the phone itself up to the other half of the line and began to unwind the device out until she was able to return it to her room. A single long stretch of telephone cord led from the hallway to her room like a plastic bread crumb trail.

She shut the door and sat on the floor. She then cast a silencing spell on her blanket and pulled it up and over herself and the phone. It wasn't nearly as strong as Belldandy could muster, but with the extra precautions she expected it to be effective enough. She then dialed the only number she cared to call.

Shinji jerked awake as his phone wiggled under his pillow. He moved swiftly and withdrew the device before answering it with a whisper. He could see his room mate sleeping in the dark in the bed across from him. He hoped that he wouldn't disturb him with his nocturnal habits.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Skuld questioned as she heard the comforting voice of Shinji whisper a curt "Hi," from the other line. She knew it was wrong to disturb him but she couldn't help herself. She was in dire need of his attention and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without hearing his voice one more time.

"Trying to sleep, like you should be doing," Shinji replied softly. She could hear he was smiling even though she knew she was bugging him. "Are you all right?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"I just wanted to talk?" Skuld questioned him. She sounded as unsure of her own motivations as he appeared to be. She felt like she couldn't wrap her mind around why she would want to lay awake, hidden under a blanket, deep into the night, hoping for a chance to speak to him.

"I miss you," Shinji whispered as he sighed. "I feel weird laying in this bed by myself now," he continued as he shot a furtive glance in the direction of his still slumbering room mate. He didn't want to be bothersome, but there was zero chance he was going to pass up a chance to speak to Skuld.

"How angry do you think Belldandy would be if I use magic to travel to you?" she questioned rhetorically.

"On a scale of rage to murder?" Shinji asked.

Skuld snorted softly. She knew that Belldandy loved her and that she was only hoping to protect her, but she was too old for that now. "I want to stick it to you," she spoke quietly.

Shinji felt his throat constrict as his entire face and neck tightened. He wanted to cough and splutter but he controlled himself until he could breath. "Do what?" he whispered back to her.

"Let's just run away and spend the rest of our life being nasties. We can just be nasty until we die," Skuld chuckled. She could hear Shinji breathing harder on the line. She couldn't help but tease him. It was too easy.

"What kind of nasty?" Shinji questioned as he bit down on his lip. He felt his forehead growing damp as he began to run his memories of Skuld over and over in his mind. He could smell her as he ran the hand not holding the phone over his face. He tugged on his own nose as he fought to suppress his memories of her. He could feel his body reacting.

"Super nasty," Skuld giggled as she fidgeted. She thought back to the night they spent only a few hours ago and wondered why she was alone in her room, when she could be there again. She closed her eyes and remembered how his lips felt against hers. She curled her left hand into her own hair before tugging, just to remember the feeling.

"What are you wearing right now?" Shinji asked slowly. He instantly felt regret as the words had slipped from his lips without thought. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and even though they had shared the night together, he dreaded the thought of causing her discomfort.

"A shirt and some underwear," Skuld replied without hesitation. "The shorts are red," she offered without prompt. She grinned before hissing the words "Very Nasty" between her lips. "What are you wearing?" she growled.

"Just a pair of sweat pants," Shinji replied. "The blue ones," he continued.

"Gross. I hate those ones," Skuld grimaced playfully. "You should take them off," she continued.

"Hold on," Shinji spoke. He placed the phone down on his pillow before shimmying out of his sleep wear. He kicked the pants out from under the covers and let them fall to the floor, pinned between the sheets and bed frame itself. The sheets themselves felt soft and cool on his body. He paused to look towards the figure of his sleeping room mate. He hadn't stirred.

"Did you really take them off?" Skuld spoke up, she wanted to laugh at how incredulous it was.

"Yea," Shinji whispered back. He wiggled his legs up and down as he enjoyed the feeling of his sheets on his nude body.

"Should I take mine off?" Skuld thought aloud as she put her free hand over her face. She could feel her skin warming as she grew red in the face.

"Yea," Shinji encouraged her. "Take it off," he grinned.

"OK. Hold on," she replied before setting the phone down. She scooted up off the ground and unhooked her underwear from around her waist. She shimmied out of them before setting them down next to her on the floor. She then picked up the phone again and said "Back".

"Did you really?" Shinji questioned her. His shoulders ached and his legs and hips seemed to have developed a mind of their own. "What should we do next?" he questioned her.

The pair continued their word play well into the night until both were as satisfied as they could be with their present situation. Skuld lay on her back as she waited for her legs to stop tingling as she breathed hard into the phone. Her entire body felt soaked in sweat and she couldn't help but fall into and out of deep body shaking giggles as she heard Shinji practically cry out.

"Fuck," Shinji spat as he ran his finger tips over his chest. He sighed contently before closing his eyes and falling into the same breathy rhythm as Skuld. "Are you all right?" he questioned as he fought down a yawn.

"Yea," Skuld replied. "Time to sleep, thanks for the help," she spoke to him sweetly.

"Good night, visit soon, please," he replied. The pair finally hung up and Shinji rolled over to put the phone back on the night stand. He froze as his eyes caught the raised arm of his room mate. He was holding a single thumb up in the air before lowing back slowly into his sleeping position.

Shinji rolled over to his face back to his room mate and stared at the wall. He didn't know what else to do.

Skuld stood shakily. She wanted to go right to sleep but decided she would return the phone to it's original state. She ignored her clothing and excited the room in the nude as she gathered up the cord and made her way back to the hall way desk. She knelt, replaced the old cord, and repositioned the phone. She turned and made her way back to her room before climbing into bed and falling to sleep almost instantly.


	6. Ah! A Goddess Takes A Ride?

Sousuke groaned as he awoke. His arm was throbbing and he could feel the side of his face was wet where he had drooled in his sleep. He had rolled over at some point in the night and slept on his bad shoulder until his body had awoken him with excruciating pain. He let out one more moan before pushing himself over onto his back. His jaw hurt where he had clenched it in his sleep.

"Are you all right?" Urd questioned softly. She laid on her side and watched him with a deep look of concern on her face. She hesitated before reaching out and placing her palm to his cheek, she rubbed slowly at his jaw line. Urd sighed contently as she stared at Sousuke, she was happy with her choice of human.

Sousuke shot her a grimacing smile as he relaxed into her touch. "What do you see?" he questioned her as he held her eyes in his. "You must see the world in a completely different way than I do," his voice trailed off as she leaned forward to capture his lips. They kissed deeply.

Urd finally released his mouth before her gaze grew contemplative. She considered his words and wondered why she was so happy. "I don't know, I just feel right," she replied as she rested her head on the palm of her hand. She grinned wide and wrinkled her nose. Sousuke found it adorable.

"I applied for a job as an educator," Sousuke blurted it out. Her joy was contagious and he wanted to share something good with her. He didn't want to complain about his pains, but wanted to share a dream with her. He rested his head on the pillow and stared up at her as he waited to hear her reply.

"That's fantastic," Urd looked at him as her eyes danced with excitement. "What do you plan to teach?" she questioned as she rolled over to lay on her stomach. She folded her hands under her chin and drew herself to eye level with Sousuke. She reached out with her feet and rested them against his legs. Urd grinned before leaning forward to kiss the tip of his nose.

"Not sure yet," Sousuke replied evasively. He smiled back before puckering his lips and winking at her. Urd lunged forward to capture his mouth with hers at his beckoning. The pair kissed deeply until the Goddess pulled herself up to a kneeling position. Sousuke smiled wider as Urd drew her shirt up and over her head before tossing it towards the door. The offending garment smacked the door with a thud before slowly sinking to the ground.

"How do I look?" Urd questioned him as she drew both hands up into her hair and lifted her elbows. She pressed out her chest as she curved her back and pouted her lips sexily.

Sousuke stared. He had difficulty processing how someone as beautiful as Urd could seem to be so in love with him. "You are stunning in every way," he replied. "The perfect woman," he stopped as she interrupted him.

"Goddess," Urd winked at Sousuke. She couldn't help but correct him as she relished in his breathy reassurance of her attractiveness. She liked compliments and she liked them best when they came from Sousuke. He wasn't the type of give them freely, but when she wanted them, she knew what buttons to press. Urd drew her hands down from her hair and ran them down her chest. She circled her breasts before pulling them up and allowing them to bounce. The moment she released them she drew her hands down her stomach and stopped at the edge of the shorts she was wearing.

Sousuke grew silent as he watched her. His gaze grew ever more intense as his eyes dropped from her chest to her belly button. "I don't think that things could be more perfect," Sousuke whispered as he reached out with his right hand. He placed it on her knee and used his thumb to circle her soft skin slowly. His eyes darted back up to her eyes and he felt his body relax as he gripped her skin between his fingers and softly tugged, hoping to beckon her closer.

Urd reacted to his touch and lifted her bottom up and off of her heels. She stood and drew her shorts off before gently tossing them to the side. The leggy Goddess turned to face away from him and leaned her head back to allow her long hair to drape down her back before reaching to tug it over her shoulder. She took a slight step out until she stood with her feet shoulder length and bent at the waist. She looked back at Sousuke with a cheeky grin from around her waist.

Sousuke felt his eyes grow wide as he watched her. He couldn't help but reach his hand out towards her. He felt as though his body were compelled to act of its own volition. There was nothing he wanted more than her at that moment. "Come to me," he begged her as he began to ache.

Urd giggled before turning to face him. She took a single step back before raising her hands over her head, closing her eyes, and beginning to sway to a tune in her head. Her hips rocked back and forth as she undulated rhythmically. The Goddess began to hum softly as she teased him, allowing her hands to run up and down her body to the tune of some song he couldn't place.

Sousuke watched as she turned to face her back to him again. Her brown skin practically glowed in the morning light as she continued to dance for him. He had never seen a sight so beautiful as a Goddess wanting to please. He felt his mouth dry as he left it ajar.

Urd finally twirled back to face him and closed the distance between them. She stepped over his prone body before placing her feet under his arm pits. The Goddess grinned wide as she stared down at him, her lithe legs parted a little more than shoulder length apart.

Sousuke had the strongest urge to adjust himself as he stared up at her body. He tried to keep his eyes on hers, but he couldn't help but let them be drawn to other parts of her body. He breathed hard as he allowed his right hand to snake its way up her leg until his finger tips rested on her hip. "I love you dearly," he groaned.

Urd giggled. She drew her hands down her body again before allowing one of her hands to gently run over Sousukes' reaching hand. She smiled before returning to dancing, she would look down at him as she moved her body. She slowly allowed her body to dip lower and lower, allowing herself to dip almost casually over his face before returning to a standing position.

Sousuke felt his neck crane as he watched her. He could feel his heart racing as she teased and intrigued him. He wanted to ravish her but he could barely move. He could smell her body and the scent was intoxicating. His mind felt foggy as he attempted to absorb every thing he was seeing.

Urd drew her feet up and placed them on either side of his shoulders before kneeling down. She reached back with her left hand to rest it on his chest as she reached between her legs to grab a handful of his hair. Her back curved and her neck arched as she began to groan.

Belldandy snapped her gaze from Keiichi to the hallway. She fell silent from the conversation she was having in the kitchen to scowling in the direction of Urd and Sousuke. She could hear Urd screaming for mercy as the pair behaved in a most undignified way.

Skuld entered the kitchen with her index fingers in her ears as she approached the fridge stoically. She nodded once in the direction of Keiichi as she purposefully refused to make eye contact with Belldandy. "Super nasties," she spoke through a smirk as she attempted to open the fridge with her foot. She fumbled and hopped several times before growing impatient and reaching out with her right hand. Urd took that moment to cry out with some interesting profanity and Skuld fought back a laugh.

"We haven't even had breakfast yet and they are at it again," Belldandy huffed as she crossed her arms. "I have half a mind to put a stop to this," she continued to speak as she turned her gaze on Keiichi. She expected him to support her attitude but he busied himself in a bowl of cereal he had poured. She was shocked when he didn't look up at her or even acknowledge her outrage.

"The early Urd catches the worm," Keiichi whispered. He felt his cheeks pulling into a suppressed smile as Skuld snorted at his comment. He looked at her and the pair made eye contact, sharing in their joke.

"Mr. Keiichi!" Belldandy spoke up as she stared incredulously at him. "How could you say something like that?" she asked.

Keiichi shrugged before digging back into his bowl. "They love each other and that is what couples in love do," he stated softly.

Belldandy felt as though a knife had cut through her heart. She felt her shoulders grow heavy and cold a she processed his words. "Do you think I don't love you?" she questioned him. Belldandy felt distinctly uncomfortable as Skuld began to watch her.

"I know you love me and I love you," Keiichi replied. He released his spoon in the bowl and turned his attention on Belldandy. The three pointedly ignored Urd's ecstatic exclamations. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do, all right?" he continued.

Belldandy sighed before standing up from the table. She turned and made her way out of the kitchen and towards her bedroom. The door to her room opened as she approached it and closed softly as she entered.

Skuld clucked her tongue as she shook her head. "Come on man," she spoke at Keiichi. "You know that the whole love-love thing isn't going to fly with her, she was the one talking about letting your marry someone else, remember?" Skuld spoke up. She returned to rummaging in the fridge until she located something she had wanted. She closed the door to the fridge and made her way to the table. "Go," she barked as she pointed at the hallway.

Keiichi stood and made his way down the hallway. The sounds emanating from Sousuke and Urd's room were no longer finding their way out towards him. He stopped in front of the room occupied by Belldandy and knocked several times. "Bell, can I come in? Please," he spoke softly. He waited for an answer but didn't hear her. "Bell?"

The door slid open and Keiichi gazed into the room. He could see Belldandy sitting with her back turned to him on the floor. Her shoulders were slumped and he could hear her crying softly. He hesitated a moment before entering the room and closing the door. "Bell," Keiichi spoke softly as he approached her. He sat beside her and reached out to place a single hand on her back.

"Every thing is wrong," Belldandy choked out as she faced Keiichi. Her eyes were puffy and she had bright tear streaks down her face that glimmered in the light as she looked up at Keiichi. "Urd is doing every thing we were taught not to do, Skuld is running away to spend time with a man, and I am treating you wrong," she gushed. The words that slipped from her lips seemed to cause something in her to click, and she erupted into a torrent of tears.

"No, it's not like that at all," Keiichi spoke up as he turned to face her. He tried to pull her into a hug but she refused to budge. The pair turned to silence as he rested his chin on his open palms and watched her. He could feel himself growing frustrated by her refusal to interact with him. He wasn't sure of how to act with her attitude.

"It is," she finally spoke. "When have we ever trusted Hild? You mean to tell me, Sousuke 'saved' her?" she questioned him slowly as she stared at him. "When has Hild ever needed to be saved?" she continued.

"I don't know, I don't even remember what happened in heaven. I just remember getting the award and being told I was a hero," Keiichi replied as he shrugged. He gave her an inquisitive look. "Do you know what happened?"

Belldandy flinched before turning away. "I do," she finally spoke, refusing to look at him. "Don't ask me what happened please," she continued.

"Why not?" Keiichi asked. He leaned forward curiously. "I knew something was up, and you know what happened," he was exasperated as he stared at her. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want you to be like Sousuke!" Belldandy nearly screamed as she turned on him. She shook as she stared defiantly at him, "Do you think I want you waking up in the middle of night screaming? Crying? Walking around rubbing your arm? I took your memories to protect you!" she gushed as her eyes closed.

Keiichi leaned away from her with shock on his face. He wasn't sure of how to react to such an admission. "Don't you think that is unfair to Sousuke?" he asked quietly.

Belldandy groaned as she leaned her head back. "I know it is unfair!" she growled angrily. "I know," she spoke again. "Don't you think I know that? He is so good to Urd, and they love each other, and they are doing something that no other Goddess and human have done in thousands of years, and there is just this instant allowance for this group of us?" she continued to blabber as she fought to regain her composure.

"So what? We just continue to act like we can't be together?" Keiichi questioned her. He pointed at her with his index finger. "I want you, and I love you, and one day we are going to get married, if I get my way," he spoke to her. "You are supposed to..." his voice trailed off as he looked away. "Look, who cares, if anything bad happens, we can just fix it," he growled before standing and starting to pace.

"What? We just let Sousuke shoot things until it's fixed?" Belldandy questioned him incredulously. "Bullets don't fix every thing," she scowled as she looked up at Keiichi.

"I'm not a warrior, but I am madly in love with you, and I would do anything to protect you, I know I would," Keiichi spat as he turned to face her. "So what do I need to do to show you that I would," he asked her.

"I know, I do, it's you who doesn't know what you were capable of," she replied. Her body shook as she held herself back before finally pulling herself to a standing position and extending her hand. "Do you want to see? Take my hand if you want to see," she scowled at him.

Keiichi stared down into the palm of his hand. He slowly extended his hand before taking hers in his grip. "Show me," he spoke softly.

The room vanished around them and Keiichi could see himself. They were standing in the court yard, moments before leaving for heaven. He was looking out through the eyes of Belldandy. "Are you ready Mr. Keiichi?" she asked softly, he could hear her voice echo in his ears.

He watched as the Keiichi of the memory nodded back. He could see the shotgun in his hands and he remembered it's heft in his own hands. He felt disorientated. It was difficult to process the Goddesses memories. This was the moment his memories stopped.

Belldandy activated the travel spell and the pair landed in the midst of what would have been easy to guess was Hell. Angels screamed and raged as Goddess fought desperately against the infected. The moment they landed, Belldandy had grabbed him. He watched as they darted in between combatants. "We must hurry Mr. Keiichi!" Belldandy cried out as she gripped his arm roughly.

An infected Goddess rushed forward and tackled Belldandy. He watched as the view fell to the ground. Her head collided with the ground before rolling over onto her back. She fought with the creature as it reached for her face. She was screaming, trying to tell Keiichi to run. She bent her elbow and used it to barricade the infected from biting her face off.

Her eyes closed under a splatter. A torrent of blood and brain matter washed over her face as the creature collapsed onto her body. Keiichi stared down at her, one hand wrapped in the creatures hair, holding half of the monsters skull. Keiichi had rushed forward and gripped the creatures hair in an attempt to pull the Goddess off of Belldandy, but then allowed the shotgun barrel to rest against it's spine. He pressed the barrel against the creatures skull and pulled the trigger, cleanly severing the piece he gripped in his hand and instantly killing the once-was Goddess.

Belldandy gaped at him from the ground. She was staring up at his face and it was tortured. He looked absolutely devastated before turning to view another creature lunging at a Goddess. His face grew utterly enraged as he slammed back the handle on the weapon and then rushed forward to grab a handful of wing and yanked. The infected Goddess stumbled backwards and he used the momentum to throw it to the side. He caught a glimpse of Lind before pressing the weapon into the back of the creature and pulling the trigger again. The wing in his hand was severed from the Goddess as he stumbled backwards.

Lind nodded at him once before lifting her weapon off the ground and rushing back into battle. Keiichi screamed at the top of his lungs before throwing the wing towards another infected Goddess. He fired his weapon until it was empty, and then began to use it as a club.

Belldandy released his hand in the real world and he stumbled backwards with shock on his face. "You killed every Goddess in the vicinity," she spoke quietly. Her hands shook as she considered his face, "I don't think all of them were infected," she continued.

Keiichi blinked several times. "That wasn't me, it couldn't be," he reasoned as he motioned with his hands. "Why would they reward me? They said that I was a Paladin," he continued. "I got some stupid medal," he gibbered.

Belldandy moved to hold him and he embraced her. "I couldn't do that," he cried out as he enveloped her in a hug.

"You could do it, if you thought I was in danger, you could do a lot of things you wouldn't normally do," she continued to speak to him as she rubbed his back. "I know you love me," she breathed hard as her hands slipped down his back and began to pull upwards on the hem of his shirt.

Keiichi pulled away to stare incredulously at her. "Bell," he began to speak but he was silenced as she crushed her lips against his. She snaked her tongue into and out of his mouth. Her left hand moved to the front of his chest and she gripped his shirt in her hand before peeling it off of his body like you might the wrapper on a candy bar. The cloth gave way to her touch instantly.

Keiichi froze as Belldandy reached down to draw his shorts down. He watched as her head disappeared downwards. Her wet tongue leaving a streak from his throat downwards. "Belldandy, don't you, we should, wow," he nearly toppled over as he felt his hands grip her hair involuntarily.

Belldandy snapped her fingers once before lifting a single hand upwards. She pressed a silver foil wrapper against his chest and Keiichi reacted by reaching up and grabbing it. He held the condom out for a second before his eyes rolled back into his head.

Skuld looked up and watched as Sousuke and Urd entered the room. She narrowed her eyes at the pair as they made their way over to the table. "Little early for all that noise, eh?" she grumbled as she pointed firmly at Urd with her index finger.

"I can't help it if I had to serve breakfast before we eat," Urd laughed as she shook her hair with both hands. She rotated her head around on her neck before smiling at Skuld. "It was a good morning,"

Skuld shook her head and rolled her eyes before cracking a grin. "Keiichi and Belldandy are fighting I think," she spoke up as she pointed at the cereal on the counter. I think every one is eating cereal.

"I'm fine with cereal," Sousuke replied as he approached the counter and began to work with one hand. He grabbed two bowls and began to pour the cereal for himself and Urd. "I have a few things I need to get done today," he spoke as he made two trips to place the bowls on the table. He then sat down at the table.

"You stink," Skuld wrinkled her nose as she stared at Sousuke.

Sousuke chuckled before digging into the cereal. "I'll clean up after I eat," he spoke between mouthfuls of sugary sweets.

"I think he smells good," Urd grinned as she pressed her finger against Sousuke's cheek. She pushed his lip into a smile before withdrawing her digit and smiling wide in his direction.

The trio ate in companionable silence for several more minutes before they were interrupted by Keiichi. He stood in the door way nude and stared at them nervously for several seconds. "Hey guys, I think... I think we need some help," he spoke softly as he turned at the neck to gaze down the hallway. "I did something wrong," he spoke.

Sousuke froze as he looked up at Keiichi. Urd cocked her head and Skuld stood. The three stared at Keiichi hard as he shifted nervously. "What the hell?" Skuld finally spoke as each of them began to regain their senses.

"Can you guys just come here?" Keiichi begged as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the hallway. He turned and began to walk back towards the room that Belldandy used and the trio followed.

"Am I going to have to murder you?" Urd questioned as the three made their way towards the room. She bristled when he only shrugged in reply.

"I got them," Keiichi spoke as he entered the room. His nude form blocked the doorway but he quickly moved to the side to reveal Belldandy.

The beautiful Goddess stood in the middle of the room. She had pulled a wrap around her waist and draped her arms over her chest. She stared straight ahead in shock.

"Wow," Urd and Skuld exclaimed at once. They gazed upon her new tattoo and were left speechless as they began to circle her. Sousuke stood in the doorway leaned against the frame with a faint look of curiosity on his face.

Belldandy had a single body suit tattoo that left a small valley of skin down the center of her body all the way up to her neck. The traditional Japanese body tattoo covered her back in a massive mural of an Angel holding a knife between her teeth surrounded by a tiger and a dragon. The tattoo even covered her upper thighs down to her knees in bright hues of red, blue, and green with spats of white.

"What did you two do?" Skuld asked incredulously as she stared at Belldandy. "This thing is massive," she gaped.

Belldandy passed a furtive glance at Urd and her lip quivered as she craned her neck to look at herself in the mirror. "Well, there will be no hiding what we did," she spoke softly before drawing her face into a smile. "Mr. Keiichi and I have joined Urd and Sousuke in the 'bad Goddess' club," she chuckled softly.

"Yea, you did," Urd replied before leaning forward to hug Belldandy. The pair embraced for a moment before parting. Belldandy then turned to make eye contact with Sousuke. The pair held a look for several seconds before Belldandy broke contact and moved to hug Keiichi.

Keiichi had the good sense to put some shorts on and he held Belldandy tightly.

Sousuke pushed himself off the door frame with his good shoulder and held up his thumb at Keiichi. "Congratulations on the sex," he spoke before turning and leaving the room. He headed towards the kitchen.

Urd watched as Sousuke exited the room with a look of concern on her face but suppressed her urge to follow. "Are you all right?" she asked Belldandy as she looked her markings up and down. "Wow, this is intricate," she continued before holding her hands up and comparing her Celtic knot like designs to the unashamedly Japanese tattoo that adorned her sister.

"I feel fine," Belldandy confirmed as she nodded once. She released her grip on Keiichi and snapped her fingers allowing her clothing to appear and cover her. "I feel great actually," she continued before turning to look at herself in the mirror. Her clothing perfectly covered her new markings and because of the line of skin down her chest, you couldn't tell she was marked even when looking down her neck.

"So you have a cool marking," Skuld nodded as she gazed sagely. "Urd has cool markings," she continued. She grew contemplative before shrugging. "So congrats!" she cheerfully replied.

"You aren't mad?" Keiichi questioned her carefully. He stared at Skuld with a look of worry on his face as he wondered what kind of trouble he was going to find himself in with the diminutive Goddess.

"Happy?" she asked Belldandy.

"Yes," Belldandy replied with a nod. She seemed comforted in her sisters acceptance and relieved that her clothing could cover her tattoos unlike Urd who would need gloves to conceal hers.

"Cool," Skuld replied. She faced Keiichi with a hard glare and scowled. "So that is it, she owns you now, you can't even look at another girl or I will cut you," she growled before smiling again. "I'll cut you bad," she nearly sang as she skipped out of the room happily.

"She scares me sometimes," Keiichi spoke up once he thought Skuld was out of ear shot. He smiled softly at Belldandy before reaching out to hug her. The pair embraced again and he kissed the top of her head. "I love you," he assured her.

"I love you too," Belldandy replied. She look up at him with a hard look. "You can't leave now," she impressed on him as her eyes drew to slits. "Seriously," she growled.

"I am not going any where," Keiichi replied with a sloppy smile.

Urd rolled her eyes before bowing and flourishing her arm. "I will leave the love birds to themselves then," she joked as she turned to leave the room. "Call me when you start nesting," she stated before laughing at the stricken look that Belldandy gave her.

Sousuke smiled as Urd entered the kitchen. He leaned against the counter and slowly ate a handful of dry cereal that he kept cupped in his hand. He watched her as she approached him. The pair stood nearly nose to nose before she dipped her chin and flicked out her tongue to steal a few bits of the dry cereal. "What is wrong?" she questioned him as she crunched her share.

Sousuke didn't reply. He lifted his cupped hand to his lips and took a few more bites before shrugging. He held eye contact with Urd as she began to make silly faces at him. His lips curled into a grin as he watched her roll her eyes around, stick out her tongue, and wrinkle her forehead.

"Laugh, or I am going to kick you straight in your ass," Urd finally spoke.

Sousuke began to chuckle before finishing off his cereal. He shook his hands out by clapping them together and rubbing them momentarily to the side. "I guess we aren't special now," he spoke to her as his eyes continued to shine happily.

"Is that the problem? It was a competition?" she asked incredulously.

"No, not exactly," Sousuke replied. He grew contemplative before speaking. "Maybe it IS weird that we are doing these obviously strange things," he continued. "Why would a Goddess react to physical contact like that? What could be the evolutionary benefit of growing a massive artsy tattoo across your body just because you touched a human?"

Urd shrugged. "They used to use these marks to identify Goddesses who needed to be punished. They would be destroyed on sight," she replied. "The marks are usually indicative of the connection between the Goddess and the human," she continued.

Sousuke grunted sharply as he fell into deep thought. "I don't see the point," he continued to speak as his eyes glazed over and he stared at the floor.

Urd wrapped her arms around Sousuke and held him. He lifted his hands to her waist and held her by the hips as they stood together in the kitchen. "I like them," he whispered.

"What?" Urd asked softly.

"The tattoos, I like your markings," he explained. He arched his neck and kissed her shoulder where the knots of color snaked through her flesh. "They are perfect," he smiled before pressing his face into her neck.

"I'm glad," Urd sighed contently.

"I need a hair cut and a new vehicle. My job interview is coming up soon," Sousuke stated. "I should get a..."

"Tank, or an air slave," Urd stated firmly.

"You mean an Arm Slave?" Sousuke asked her as he fought back a laugh.

"What ever, just get something indestructible that you can't get hurt in," she growled.

"I'm going to ask Skuld to take me to the auto dealership. I have an idea for the vehicle I want to purchase. I think it may be time to get a bit more responsible in my choice of vehicle now that the Honda has met it's end," Sousuke spoke softly into Urd's hair. He ran his hands up her back before intertwining his fingers in her hair and tilting her head up for a kiss.

"Sure, what ever," Skuld spoke flippantly as she entered the room from the hallway. She had changed clothing and was currently wearing a tank top with a picture of a jet centered in the chest area and a pair of baggy desert tan khakis. She also wore a pair of heavy black boots that looked strikingly like a pair that Sousuke used to own. "Where is this place?" she asked as she hopped up to sit on the edge of the kitchen table.

"I'll get dressed shortly," Sousuke stated quickly. "I need to go to the auto park approximately thirty miles from here. I will also need to make my way to the barber. Would you be willing to help me and in turn I will buy you lunch?" he asked her.

Skuld pressed her right index finger against her cheek as she made her face look like she was deeply considering Sousukes' words. She tilted her head and stared up at the ceiling before snapping back into a normal body positioning. "Of course I will help you, duh!" she nearly shouted before hopping off of the table. "Go get ready so we can do this," she commanded as she pointed towards the door way.

Sousuke snapped her a salute before exiting the room. He went to busy himself in preparation for their day together.


	7. Ah! A Goddess Does?

Skuld sat in the saddle of her bike as Urd stood beside her with her arms crossed. Sousuke sat on the passenger pylon with his helmet and other gear on. Skuld had used magic to reshape it to his size once more. "I hear you," the tiny Goddess sighed as she listened to Urd.

"I'm serious. Not too fast, but don't get in trouble by going too slow. Make sure he wears his gear. Don't let him get hurt," Urd spoke rapidly as she made numerous demands to Skuld about the safety of the ride, Sousuke, and any other things she could think of at the moment. "No wheelies, flying, or getting hit by cars," she continued to speak.

"Yea, yea, yea," Skuld replied exasperatedly as she fired up the engines and began to rev them loudly. The two jets began to spit fire and crack loud enough to drown out Urd as she roll onto the throttle and released the clutch. The Banpei RR reacted instantly and the pair were rocketing out of the yard and onto the road.

Sousuke leaned forward and placed his hands on Skuld's hips to steady himself as the bike felt as though it might sling him off at any moment. He relaxed as they slowed at the first stop light. It was comforting to know that Skuld planned to follow the rules of the road, if only marginally. The bike came to a halt and they sat in silence as drivers around them stole glances at the gaudy motorcycle and the odd pair sitting on it.

Sousuke ocasionally tapped Skuld on the shoulder or squeezed her hips to communicate as they zipped down the road. The pair quickly covered the mileage necessary to get them to the auto park that Sousuke had requested Skuld deliver them to. He watched as lot after lot of vehicles appeared on either side of the road. His sight sometimes caught giant wiggly balloons or other gimmicks designed to catch the attention of those shopping without a plan.

"Here!" he finally cried out as Skuld banked the bike into the parking lot lined with massive Jeeps, trucks, and a myriad of off road vehicles lining the front. They rolled to a stop in front of the doors to the show room and Sousuke dismounted from the bike. He quickly unhooked the helmet and tucked it under his arm before speaking to Skuld. "You are welcome to stick around, but it will be boring," he stated as she held the low slung bike up between her thighs with her tip toes barely touching the floor.

"That's cool, I am going to zip out to see Shinji," she replied. "I will be back soon though, I think he is in class today. I am going to go bug him for an hour or two and come right back," she explained as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It's been a couple of days," she grinned before placing both of her hands on her hips.

"A good plan," Sousuke nodded as he leaned forward. He gave her an awkward hug that she timidly returned. "Stay safe," he spoke before growing contemplative. "Little sister," he called her with a slow and deliberate tenor. It was as though he were trying the words out on his lips.

Skuld threw her head back and laughed heartily. "Thanks, big brother," she replied as her eyes danced. "Why are you acting weird?" she questioned him as her eyes scanned towards the sales men waiting around for their opportunity to pounce on Sousuke.

"I am thankful that Urd has a wonderful family," Sousuke replied as he shrugged. "You are a great sister and I care about you, I want you to know that," he continued before stepping back and tossing up a sloppy salute towards her.

Skuld saluted back before revving the engines on her bike and stepping backwards until she could swing the bike around and head out towards the exit. The engines whined powerfully as they spooled up. She caught a hard left turn and opened up the throttle in order to allow the front wheel to head towards the sky. She held the front wheel off the ground until she was well out of sight from the dealership.

Sousuke shook his head and laughed before turning around to face the dealership. He caught the eyes of a gentleman with a paunchy belly and a thick mustache. The soldier lifted his good arm to provide a wave towards the man and waited for him to approach. The pair sized each other up in the moments that led up to their greeting.

"Hello there," the man spoke as he wiped his hands off on the front of his shirt. He extended his right hand and Sousuke took it. They shook firmly before the man pointed back towards the dealership. "What can I do for you?"

"I am looking to purchase a vehicle for personal transportation. I have some specific needs I need satisfied," Sousuke replied calmly as he allowed his gaze to explore the dealership parking lot for a moment.

"Don't we all," the man replied before laughing at his own joke. "My name is Herb, and I am sure we can find something that will satisfy you, what do you need? A truck or may be a Jeep?" he asked as he gestured towards different parts of the dealership.

Sousuke froze as his eyes fell on a vehicle in the garage section of the dealership. "What is that?" he asked as he pointed towards a rather large four door sedan. The vehicle was colored black and white, had a light bar, and was equipped with a front brush guard. "Is that a Police vehicle?"

"Yes sir!" Herb exclaimed as he gestured toward the vehicle. "We don't sell them like that for civilians," he continued but stopped as Sousuke interrupted him.

"Can I get the brush guard?" he asked.

"Sure, I guess," Herb replied before scratching at his head. "Sort of an odd request," he continued as he sized Sousuke up.

"My understanding is that these vehicles are regularly available with stiffer suspension, enhanced fuel delivery, and a higher top speed," Sousuke replied as his eyes began to scan the lot for the model of vehicle he was looking for.

"We call it our 'Pursuit Package', and you are right, we can really hook you up if you want it," the man stated as he pointed towards a corner of the dealership. "They are over there, but we can head inside and I can look it up on the computer to see if we have any in stock."

"Let's follow that course of action," Sousuke replied as the pair made their way towards the glass doors of the dealership. He could see several show-room floor models littered about including a very lanky vehicle called a 'Viper' with an extraordinary price tag. He chuckled at the thought of returning home with such a beast. He wondered how long it would take for Urd to catch him on fire with matches, since she couldn't use her magic.

The pair made their way to a small cubicle equipped with a desk and a computer with a handful of chairs. The man known as Herb sat down and began logging into the system. "This thing is a real piece," he grumbled as he used the keyboard to input his user name and password into the box. A full screen application displayed a handful of images and the names of vehicles with a small input box at the top.

"So we want a Charger. What color?" he stopped to look at Sousuke as his voice inflected his need for an answer.

"I would like it to be white or black," Sousuke replied easily. He sat in the hard plastic chair across from Herb sideways, allowing himself to view any one who decided to attempt to walk up behind him. "The interior should be leather, as well," he ticked off.

"Stereo upgrades?" Herb inquired as he continued to fill out the form on the computer. He checked boxes and filled out other information as necessary as the pair worked on locating a vehicle that Sousuke could drive happily. It was several more minutes before the pair finished and Herb stood to gather out a printed out sheet. "I'll be right back," he spoke before returning with the folded sheet of paper.

Sousuke stood and gestured towards the paper. "Any thing good?" he inquired.

"They are all good," Herb grinned before pointing towards the door. We can go take a look at a few, grab some stock numbers and keys, and we will take some test drives. "This is the fun part," he smiled as they began to make their way out towards the lot. "I think we have some winners on this list,"

\scenebreak

Skuld checked the mirrors to the Banpei RR as she rode. Her eyes darting about for errant drivers, pot holes, and any number of other dangers that could cut her fun ride short. She was well aware that it would take more than an automobile accident to harm her, but she still didn't want the other issues that come along with dealing with her sisters and Sousuke if she were to wipe out on her bike.

Skuld made her way to a more secluded part of the city before engaging the transformation mode on her bike. The fairings extended up and out to become wings and the rocket boosters engaged their after burner. She grit her teeth as the front of the bike rose off the ground and she felt herself pulled into the air. The Banpei RR left a trail of purplish white exhaust flame as she banked the air born bike towards her destination.

The tiny Goddess grinned wildly as she leaned down to rest her chest against the tank of the bike. She rocked the throttle back and tucked her knees in close as the bike exhaust began to dim to her ear. The Banpei head she used as a front fairing began to rotate upwards until it became a shield. She ducked her head behind it and a small screen engaged allowing her to see forward. A heads up display projected on the screen began to blink as she reached hypersonic speeds. The words 'MACH 5.5' began to flash on the screen.

The city scape below was rapidly replaced with country side. She could see another city, home to Shinji, not far ahead. She watched as the world beneath her seemed to almost evaporate into a singular mass of color. A warning beep, slow and steady, grabbed her attention. She slowly eased off of the throttle as her vision caught a flashing red 'MACH 9.4' on the screen.

It felt like an eternity before the bike and her hearing was rattled by a massive crack of noise in rapid succession. She had slowed down and the sound she was generating had rapidly caught up with her. Her bike began to shake as the shock waves slammed into the rear and she held on tight until the turbulence abated.

Skuld banked down towards the road and pressed a button that allowed her to land and transform without stopping. The Banpei RR returned to its normal shape and she pointed the bike towards the college that Shinji attended. It only took a few more minutes before she was pulling into the parking lot of the school.

Skuld stopped and closed her eyes. She allowed her mind to clear and she began to concentrate on the feeling of Shinji and his spirit. She allowed her shoulders to drop and she held her hands close to her chest as though she were praying. After several seconds of silent contemplation she picked up a feeling in the air and was able to pinpoint his position on the campus. She felt her tattoo tingle softly as she took a deep breath, exhaled, and then headed in the direction that she felt he was.

The campus sprawl consisted of numerous multi-story buildings surrounding an inner courtyard that contained a criss crossing of streets and parking spots. She noticed the wandering eyes of the students as she skipped towards a building that proudly sported a 'Fujimoto Memorial' mathematics sign on the front facade. "I bet he is inside," Skuld grinned to herself as she approached the double doors with the stairs in front.

The tiny Goddess stopped at the foot of the stairs and bent at the waist to allow her long flowing hair to dangle in front of her face. She ran her fingers into the stream of midnight black hair and began to shake her hands in rapid spurts before flinging her head back and allowing her now more buoyant hair to bounce off of her shoulders.

She strode purposefully up the stairs and into the building. The doors opened at her gentle touch and she looked about with a grin on her face. A small framed map on the wall caught her attention and she approached it instantly. Skuld leaned forward onto her tip toes as she studied the map before coyly stealing a glance from left to right. After sufficiently satisfying herself that she wasn't being watched or recorded she incanted a small prayer and watched as a tiny red dot appeared on the map. "There you are," she giggled as she pressed her finger against the map. Shinji was on the second floor in a room known as 'Advanced Mathematics Lab'.

Skuld whirled on her heels and began to walk purposefully towards a set of stairs she had spied as she entered. She followed them upwards until she reached the second floor. She spotted a set of arrows with room numbers on them and began to follow the signs towards the lab that she knew that Shinji was within. It wasn't long before she spotted the door. It was ajar and she approached slowly.

"Shinji talks a lot of shit but I think he is a fucking liar," a male student spoke as several others began to laugh. Skuld froze and started to listen. "He says he has this girlfriend who he talks to at night but I think it's just an excuse so he can wack it in front of his room mate." Another peel of laughter ripped through the math lab.

Skuld felt her eyes narrow angrily.

"What ever," Shinji replied. He seemed to be trying to laugh off their teasing as he attempted to steer their discussion back to math. "So if we need to find the area of the circle," he continued before his voice trailed off. "Oh come on," he exclaimed as she heard the group begin laughing again.

"I'm so pretty, kiss my ass!" the same boy from before spoke again. She craned to glance into the room and saw a male with bleach blond hair wiggling his hips towards Shinji while he attempted to lean away. "Come on, I'm just as pretty as your imaginary girlfriend," the guy continued to tease.

Skuld allowed her eyes to explore the room for a moment as she tried to decide how to handle the situation. She bristled at the idea that these individuals might be picking on her Shinji. She felt exceedingly possessive. She could see that the room seemed to contain six individuals including Shinji and that they were congregated at some high top tables working on a project of some sort.

Skuld rapidly came to a decision before knocking on the door and poking her head inside. She grinned at Shinji as he turned in his chair and his eyes grew as wide as saucers at the sight of her. She hoped he would play along and moved quickly before he ruined her game. "Hey guys, is someone here good at math?" she asked casually as she entered the room fully.

"Yea, I am," the blond haired guy spoke up as he moved from Shinji towards her. He slicked back his hair with his hand before extending it towards her. "Are you a Freshman?" he inquired.

"What can we help you with?" Shinji smirked as he made eye contact with her. He laid his chin on his fist as he curled his elbow on the table. He fought the urge to laugh out loud as he wondered what kind of game she was playing. "Are you sure you are a student here?" he grinned.

"Yea, I am," Skuld feigned annoyance as she scowled at him.

"Don't worry about him," another boy urged her as he approached her. "How can we help you?"

"Well, I am trying to find someone who would be willing to trade a date for homework help," Skuld replied. She fluttered her eye lids towards Shinji who scowled at her playfully.

"I was hoping you would want to trade home work help for some of this," he boldly replied causing the entire room to fall silent.

Skuld felt her nose twitch as she fought back laughter. She stole a sideways glance at the very uncomfortable looking blond next to her and took a deep breath. "I don't think you could handle all of this," she replied as she approached Shinji. She stopped once her knees were pressing against his thigh.

"I could crank you across your face until your nose sat sideways," Shinji replied as he pantomimed punching himself.

"I like it when you talk dirty," Skuld replied as she reached out to grab his ear. She twisted her wrist until his mouth opened in pain before leaning in and capturing his mouth with hers. "Don't write a check with your mouth that your ass can't keep," she giggled as she used another colorful Kurtz-ism.

The pair kissed deeply until Skuld pulled away to face the other students in the room. "I guess I should introduce myself to you nerds. I am Skuld and I am the imaginary girlfriend that Shinji brags about," she laughed openly as the men in the room gawked at her.

Shinji puffed out his chest proudly as Skuld climbed into his lap and draped her arm around his neck. "I can't stay long but I wanted to see you," she whispered into his ear. He felt exceedingly proud.

"So what brought you out here?" Shinji asked her as he snaked an arm around her waist. He grinned as she nestled her shoulder in close to him. He could tell that his friends were all giving him death glares as they watched his behavior with the young Goddess.

"I brought Sousuke out to buy a new ride. He is going to get a car, so I thought I would stop in and visit you while I have a good excuse for being out of the house," Skuld replied as she stretched her legs out and wiggled them restlessly. "He asked me to invite you to lunch, but I understand if you are busy," she allowed her voice to trail off.

Shinji turned at the neck to stare at his friends. He didn't need to say a word as each of them began to urge him to go to lunch with her. "Just go," one spoke as he held up his notes. "Yea, we can help you catch up tomorrow," another stated.

"I guess that settles it," Skuld spoke as she shrugged her shoulders and hopped off of his lap. She reached down to grab his hand and pointed towards the door as she began to gently tug on his arm. "We need to hurry back to Sousuke," she urged him.

"All right," Shinji laughed as he allowed her to drag him to the door. The pair crossed the threshold before she froze and leaned back into the room. Shinji could hear Skuld giggle as she pulled her eye lid down and stuck her tongue out at the blond kid. "Eat my imaginary ass," she spat before turning and running down the hall dragging Shinji behind her.

\scenebreak

Sousuke locked his seat belt over his shoulder before placing the keys into the ignition of the vehicle. He turned the key and listened as the eight cylinder motor roared to life instantly. After several seconds of lumpy idling the motor fell nearly silent.

"The engine switches to running on only four cylinders unless you need the performance. You can control a lot of the vehicle from the cluster here," Herb explained as he pointed out random doodads and buttons on the dash of the vehicle.

Sousuke took a moment to look at the dash and found the button that switched the car to performance mode. He pressed and held it until the dash light changed to red and a single beep echoed throughout the cabin of the vehicle. He then located and held the traction control button. A single yellow light glowed in the cluster.

"You are now in performance mode and have traction control turned off," Herb cautioned Sousuke as he watched him fiddle with the vehicle. "You have four hundred and twenty five horsepower at your disposal."

Sousuke grunted in reply before pulling the shifter lever down into drive and ratcheting it to the side. The vehicle entered a quasi manual mode and he slowly depressed the accelerator until they were gliding out of the parking lot and into the street. He hooked a right turn into traffic and slapped the gear shifter into second. The motor whirred at a healthy three thousand rpm as they approached another four way intersection.

Herb began to speak again but fell silent as Sousuke yanked the shifter back towards the rear of the vehicle. The motor rev matched and began to spin at nearly five thousand rpm as Sousuke leaned into the gas and accelerated into a right turn that slid the rear wheels out. He held the throttle at seventy percent as he allowed the vehicle to slide through the corner before picking up the remaining thirty percent of the throttle play. The vehicle burst forward as he slapped the shifter into second and then third gear.

"Be careful!" Herb grunted as Sousuke eased off the throttle and began to slow from sixty miles per hour.

"It's good," Sousuke confirmed as he used the back of his wrist to push the gear shift back into a fully automatic position. He took several more turns at a leisurely pace before nodding once. "I think this is it," he spoke as he moved towards a spot where he could make a U turn and return to the dealership.

"You think you want to buy it?" Herb asked him as he began to loosen the hold on his seatbelt.

"If we can get the numbers right," Sousuke nodded as he spotted the dealership further up ahead on the left. He turned on the blinker to the vehicle and made his way into the parking lot. He was pleasantly surprised when he noticed Skuld and Shinji sitting on the curb in front of the dealership together holding hands. The Banpei RR sat like a frightening grinning monster near by the young couple.

Herb looked at the pair and then at Sousuke. "Why don't you three take the car for a ride out? You need to really love it before you commit," He urged Sousuke as they parked and Skuld and Shinji stood to approach the vehicle.

"I agree, I will do that," Sousuke replied with a nod as he motioned with his hand to the pair. Herb exited the vehicle before holding the door open for Skuld who hopped in the front seat. Shinji opened the back door and allowed himself in.

"Wow," Skuld exclaimed as she looked around inside the vehicle. "Did you buy it?" she asked him as she began to open all of the compartments in the car and fiddle with the sun visor.

"Not yet," Sousuke laughed before leaning back to offer his hand to Shinji. The pair shook hands and smiled at each other.

"Let's go to dinner first," Sousuke stated as they moved out of the lot again and headed for a small chicken restaurant that Sousuke had seen further down the road during his test drive.

"How have you been feeling?" Shinji asked as he leaned forward in his seat. He grinned wildly as he held onto the shoulder of the passenger seat currently occupied by Skuld. The vehicle acceleration was amazing to him.

"A lot better," Sousuke confirmed as he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. He made a lap around the restaurant as he followed the signs that attempted to guide him towards the drive through before stopping in one of the open parking spots near the side of the building. "I have been in a little pain but it could have been worse," he spoke as he shrugged his injured shoulder slightly.

"I hear ya," Shinji replied. "I am just glad you didn't get too hurt. This car is monstrous, what is it?" he questioned.

"It's a Dodge Charger," Sousuke replied. He placed the vehicle in park and turned the key to shut down the motor before unlatching his seat belt. "I hope you guys don't mind chicken."

Shinji grinned wildly as he shot a glance at Skuld. The tiny Goddess narrowed her eyes at him as she felt a strong desire to laugh overcome her.

"What?" Sousuke asked as he noticed their odd behavior.

"Shinji wants to say I know all about cock, don't you," she spoke as she rolled her eyes.

Shinji replied with a sound like a chicken might make. His clucking made Skuld roll her eyes as she swung her arm out to clip his bicep lightly.

"Yuck," Sousuke replied as he looked at Skuld. "You two are nasty," he spoke before laughing at the shocked look that Skuld wore.

"That is my line!" She yelped as they made their way into the restaurant.

\scenebreak

Urd busied herself in the kitchen as she held a cookbook in one hand while scrubbing at the counter with a rag in the other. She spoke aloud as she read. The sound of the television droning in the back ground gave her something to listen to as she worked. She could hear a soap opera jingle every once in a while.

"Chicken curry, Chicken Katsu, Pan Seared Steak," she rattled off the name of recipes as she flicked from page to page with her thumb. She had found the cook book under a stack of magazines and wondered if it wasn't Keiichi who had left it there. It seemed to have a romantic bent and talked about impressing girls with cooking prowess. "Cute," she breathed before setting the book down and grabbing a bottle of cleaning solution.

Urd felt her ears perk as she realized something was missing. She couldn't hear the television any more. In fact, the entire house had fallen silent and she realized that she couldn't hear much of anything. Urd grew still as she began to look about the room. She felt like there were eyes on her and she was distinctly uncomfortable without her magic.

"Bell?" Urd whispered. The sound seemed to cut the silence like a knife as the sound of fabric stretching caught her attention. The olive skinned Goddess twisted to look through the window and screamed as she came face to face with a masked figure. Urd stumbled backwards as she bellowed a guttural scream. Her hands pressed against the refrigerator as she continued to stare at figure in the window.

The masked figure raised a fist and pressed it against the glass which melted under the touch. The glass vanished and the person reached into the room in order to twist their arm up to unlatch the window.

Urd looked about before grabbing the leaking bottle of cleaning solution on the floor. She rushed forward and began to jerk the bottle about wildly on the arm of the figure who involuntarily leaned backwards as the liquid splashed about. Urd begged any God who was listening internally before snapping her fingers and allowing a single spark to land on the solution. It erupted into flames and the figure fell backwards in obvious surprise.

"Urd!" Belldandy cried out as she rushed into the room. She was topless and held a sword in her hand.

Urd looked back at Belldandy before returning her gaze outside. The figure was gone but the fire remained. "Bell, a little help please," Urd spoke as she held up her arm. The limb was covered in slowly burning flammable liquid and the flames were licking at her clothing.

Belldandy clasped her hands and incanted a prayer. The fires were extinguished at her urging. "What happened?" she asked Urd almost instantly.

"There was a pervert outside trying to peak at me," Urd exclaimed as she pointed towards the window. "They broke the glass and were trying to come inside so I sprayed them with cleaning solution and lit it on fire," she spoke as she held out her arm. "I'm glad I am fire proof," she exhaled as she shot a grin at Belldandy.

Belldandy placed a hand over her chest after Urd used the word pervert. She looked back into the hallway at Keiichi who was currently holding a vase in his hand as a make shift weapon. He had followed her out when they had heard Urd call out for help. "Are you hurt?" Belldandy questioned Urd as she turned her attention back on her sister.

"No, but I forced out some magic and I think I need to sit down," Urd groaned as she slowly allowed herself to sit on the floor. She clamped her eyes shut and leaned back onto the palms of her hands as she felt the room swirling about her.

"Just relax all right?" Belldandy replied as she snapped her fingers and covered her body in armor. She held out the sword and it glowed before becoming a halberd. She had summoned her Valkyrie armor. Urd opened her eyes and looked at the armor only to notice how strange it appeared.

"Wow," Keiichi breathed as he look as well. The armor looked like a skin tight samurai armor made with interlaced ingots of a subdued metal he could only imagine was similar to titanium. Her helmet looked like a grinning Japanese demon and her boots appeared to look like the feet of an ogre or other giant clawed mythical beast.

"That's different," Belldandy spoke before pushing aside her surprise. "You watch Urd, I am going to check the house," she spoke forcefully to Keiichi as he edged past her to kneel next to Urd.

Belldandy summoned her magical power and it rolled on in waves. The energy that snaked up from the ground into her armor began to release waves of blue and red smoke like tendrils that wisped off of her like the gas from a burning cigarette. She vanished with a deafening crack as the room shook and she appeared outside the window. Keiichi watched as she escaped from his angle of vision through the portal and began to patrol the home.

"Well, who ever decided to show up must have left," Urd snickered. "I would be long gone by now if I saw that," she looked at Keiichi and grinned.

"Is that from us doing, well, you know," the young man questioned as he looked at Urd. He looked awe struck.

"I heard rumors that a Goddess grows strange powers, gets stronger, and can do insane things even by our standards once she has been with a man. It's one of the reasons we are considered so dangerous," Urd spoke to him.

"Insane?" Keiichi questioned carefully.

"I don't even know where to start," Urd chuckled. "You know how your parents probably told you stories about boogey monsters under the bed?" she questioned him as their eyes met.

"Sure," Keiichi nodded.

"We got told about bad Goddesses who were so powerful that God himself had to destroy them after they burned entire continents to the ground," Urd smirked. "I think your bible states that they had to go to war with the 'giants' but our books document the battles. Goddesses who aligned with the Titans who could single handedly destroy armies of hundreds of thousands," she continued.

"Huh," Keiichi grunted as he watched her.

Urd pulled herself to a standing position and moved to sit at the kitchen table. Keiichi followed her closely as she moved in order to provide assistance in case she were to fall.

"If you grow so powerful, why are you...," his voice trailed off as he motioned with his hands towards her.

"Weak?" Urd replied. She pointed at her belly before continuing to speak. "I am nesting, so I have to conserve all of my energy, it's kind of, just something you understand," she continued. "'Elle will continue to protect what is inside of me using her energy and eventually I will lay an egg," she laughed at the look that Keiichi gave her.

"But..." Keiichi began to ask her another question but he faltered.

"I am one of the most powerful Goddesses in heaven and my power is only rivaled by Hild," Urd sighed as she laid her head down on the table. "Once I finish my nesting stage I will grow in power probably a hundred or a thousand times over," she whispered.

"So you will be all powerful?" Keiichi wondered aloud as he stared in awe at her.

"Not exactly," Belldandy replied as she silently appeared in the middle of the kitchen. Her helmet was missing but she still wore her armor. "I don't see any one around and I don't sense any Goddesses or Demons," she sighed before closing her eyes and allowing her armor to vanish back into the aether. She tossed the halberd up into the air and it winked out of existence.

"I guess I scared them off," Urd spoke up as she flexed her arm and smiled with her cheek still pressed against the cool table.

"I don't like it," Belldandy grumbled as she incanted one more prayer and completely repaired and cleaned the kitchen. It looked spotless.

"Show off," Urd spat as she rotated her face to rest on her chin as she threw a rude gesture with her hand towards a smiling Belldandy. The pair grinned at each other.


	8. Ah! A Goddess Keeps A Secret?

"Ugh, I'm stuffed," Skuld groaned as she leaned back in her seat. Her forehead had a thin bead of sweat across the middle that she wiped at with the back of her hand. "I can't believe I ate the biggest box they sell," she groaned before allowing her eyes to roll back in her head and a tempered belch to escape her lips.

Shinji looked at her in shock as he continued to nibble at his much smaller platter of chicken and fries. He attempted to conceal his surprise at her outburst but failed before she noticed.

"What, a Goddess can't burp?" Skuld asked rhetorically as Shinji fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I didn't say that," Shinji attempted to placate her as he shot a furtive glance towards Sousuke.

Sousuke lifted his cup to his lips and raised his eye brows at Shinji as he refused to involve himself in their squabble. He had finished his plate first and was enjoying watching the pair interact. He liked Shinji.

"What happens next?" Skuld questioned after tiring of teasing Shinji. She leaned over to pinch her boyfriend on the leg causing him to jump as she feigned innocence.

"I have to go pay for the car," Sousuke replied. He leaned back in the hard plastic chair of the restaurant and allowed his back to pop on the rest. He began to sigh but carried it into a large yawn.

"I guess I will take Shinji home while you do that," Skuld stated as she stood and stretched her hands over her head. She rubbed her belly for several seconds before pointing towards the door. "Let's do it," she spoke to Shinji as he looked at her.

"Sounds good," Sousuke stated as he too stood. The trio made their way out of the restaurant and back to the vehicle. Sousuke chuckled to himself as he reached out and gripped the door handle causing the doors to automatically unlock. The vehicle had a lot of technology integrated into it and he wondered if that was appropriate for his choice in transportation.

The vehicle started and fell into a silent idle before he placed it into reverse, exited the parking space, and began the trip back to the dealership.

"Do you like it?" Skuld questioned him. She was busying herself with the radio and had already programmed the words "Big Brother" into the owners slot.

"I do," Sousuke nodded. He still wanted to make changes, but for the most part, he was confident that the vehicle was acceptable for his needs. It would be fast, quiet, and equipped with some modicum of additional front and rear protection from the brush guards he had chosen.

"I don't think my vehicle will be ready tonight," Sousuke spoke as he parked the vehicle. "I will ask them if they will provide a loaner," he continued as Skuld gave him a concerned look.

"If they don't, just call Bell and have her contact me, I will come get you," Skuld nodded before opening the door. Shinji and Skuld made their way to the Banpei RR and left quickly. Shinji waved at Sousuke from the back of the bike as they made their way onto the highway.

"Hey! How did it go!?" Herb called out excitedly. He had exited the dealership with pen in hand as soon as he saw Sousuke pull up.

"I enjoyed the vehicle tremendously and I am ready to make a deal," Sousuke replied as he approached Herb. The pair entered the dealership together and began the process of finalizing the purchase of the vehicle including the addition of all accessories that Sousuke had chosen.

\scenebreak

Skuld pulled into the motorcycle parking area of their home with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't see any new car parked on the street or inside the walls of where they lived and she wondered why Sousuke had not gotten home yet. She turned her head and spotted Urd and Belldandy watching her from the window as she pressed the kick stand down and swung her leg up and off of the bike.

Urd met her at the door and the pair exchanged worried glances as she ushered Skuld into the house. "Sousuke?" Urd questioned as she looked over her shoulder out into the court yard one more time.

"I thought he would beat me home, it's pretty late," Skuld replied as she fidgeted near the door. She contemplated returning to her bike and making a run to the dealership to see if he was still there. "Should I go check on him?" she thought aloud as she jingled the keys to the Banpei RR in her hand.

"It can take a while for a car deal to go through," Keiichi spoke up as he entered the room. He smiled comfortingly as he approached Urd and patted her gently on the shoulder. "I know you are worried, but it can take a while for someone to finalize a deal like that," he continued to speak. "I wouldn't get worried unless it is past midnight."

"Midnight?!" Urd growled. "What is that thing with the phone that you put in your pocket? A walkie talkie?" she questioned him.

"A cell phone?" Keiichi replied back, attempting to ascertain exactly what she was asking about.

"That! I want Sousuke to carry a cell phone," she demanded. "Can I just have Skuld summon him one?" she inquired.

"I don't think so, they use satellites and junk, so I guess he needs an account every month too," Keiichi scratched at his cheek as he contemplated Urd and her demand.

"I can make him a cell phone and we can do it better," Skuld declared as she turned on her heels and made her way to her bedroom. "Give me a minute," she stated before vanishing down the hall in a blur to her room. The sound of mechanical clanking, electric soldering, and hammering began to escape down the hall towards the group.

Urd smiled inwardly at the care that Skuld and she shared for Sousuke. She was glad to know that her sister was willing to help her and make sacrifices when ever it was necessary.

Keiichi sat on a pillow in front of the television and flipped the old box on. He began to tune channels using the knobs on the front until he located a show he thought that Urd might enjoy. "Want to watch this? It's about cars," he spoke as he pointed at the screen.

"I guess," Urd huffed before moving to sit beside him. The pair sat in companionable silence as the sounds of work echoed down the hallway. Urd fidgeted and sighed as she constantly stole glances from the show towards the door. She was concerned about Sousuke and wondered if she shouldn't dress him down for the worry he was causing her.

It felt like an eternity to Urd before the sound of a vehicle pulling up caught her attention. She stood quickly and rushed to the door to see the familiar silhouette of Sousuke exiting a vehicle that looked a lot like a cab. He waved at her as he noticed her standing in the door way.

"Where have you been?" she yelped as she watched the vehicle she now realized was a cab pull away from their yard. "Where is your car you were buying?" she began to visualize Sousuke off with women while she languished at home.

The stoic soldier felt a strong desire to roll his eyes at the Goddesses antics as she fussed over him. He motioned towards the house as the pair walked side by side. "The vehicle will not be ready for several days and I was unwilling to pay the daily fee for a rental vehicle. I am a bit disappointed in that aspect of the deal but for the most part, I think it will be fine."

Urd narrowed her eyes at him before huffing exasperatedly. "Don't you understand I was worried about you?" she threw her hands up in the air before stomping her foot. "What if something happened to you?" she nearly yelled at him. "You could have been dead in a ditch somewhere and I wouldn't have known," she continued as her eyes filled with tears.

Sousuke stopped and turned to face her. He stepped towards her and pulled her into a hug that she struggled in but eventually stopped moving before holding him. "What happened?" he asked softly. He knew something strange must have happened for Urd to be acting so strange.

"Someone was peeping in the window and I thought maybe they had gotten you or something might have happened that I didn't know about and then maybe they were coming for me to finish the job," she exploded as the tears began to escape her eyes in force. "I think Bell chased them away," she finally choked out as Sousuke stared at her with a stricken look on his face.

"Who was this?" he asked angrily as his hands began to shake. "Who was looking in the window?" he demanded.

"I don't know, they had a mask," Urd whimpered. "They melted the glass with their hand and tried to come into the kitchen but I screamed and threw flaming cleaning solution on them," she explained every thing that happened that she could remember before looking at Sousuke sheepishly. "I didn't mean to make you mad, I was just scared," she whimpered.

Sousuke could feel his hands shaking as his arm ached. He contemplated someone weaseling their way into an opportunity to accost Urd or his family. He felt rage welling up inside him and he felt like he had no outlet. "I am glad you are safe," he breathed through grit teeth. He wanted any opportunity to get his hands on the person who had caused Urd to be afraid. He looked around the court yard before motioning to the door. "Let's go," he growled as he guided Urd back into the house.

"Hey," Keiichi began to wave but froze as he looked at Sousuke and the face he was wearing. "Car purchase didn't go well?" he joked nervously before falling silent.

Sousuke walked to the bedroom and opened the closet before withdrawing a heavy olive drab case. He laid it on the floor and opened the latches that held the case closed then tossed the top over to lay on the floor. He grew angrier with himself when he looked into the case. There were six magazines in the case and only four of them were filled with ammunition. He hefted the P$90$ up and inspected the bolt. It was a little dry and didn't have the same shine it should have.

"What are you doing?" Urd questioned him nervously as she stood in the door way.

"I've been going soft," he replied as he smashed one of the cardboard boxes that contained his $5.7$ cartridges open on the floor. He began picking up the individual cartridges before shimmying them into the magazine. "I should never have let down my guard," he spat as he turned the magazine sideways and tapped the bottom before returning to filling it.

"Bell looked and the person is long gone, we are sure," Urd tried to console him as she watched him nervously.

"Good," Sousuke replied. "I will have to thank her," he continued to speak before finishing up with the two magazines. He then grabbed a bottle of lubricant spray and began to properly care for his weapon. He shot a blast of the spray down the barrel before rotating the weapon to give him access to the bolt. He used his finger to push the liquid about inside the weapon before releasing and then redrawing the bolt assembly several times. He then reattached the magazine to the top of the weapon and loaded a single round into the weapon before placing it on safe.

"Feel better?" Urd asked as she watched him sling the weapon over his shoulder and drape it down by his side.

"A bit," he spoke through a sigh. "Sort of," he finished lamely.

"It's probably nothing," Urd spoke as she approached Sousuke and reached out to hold him. She embraced him and held his head close to her.

"I want to talk to Belldandy about it," Sousuke spoke into her hair as he pulled her close. The pair stood in silence until he finally pulled away slowly.

"Sure, come on," Urd replied as she took him by the hand and walked him to the kitchen.

Belldandy felt her eyes flicker to the weapon draped across the chest of Sousuke before she made eye contact and held it with him. "I don't know who it was," she spoke without prompt. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Sousuke had his concerns about the incident that occurred earlier in the day. "I cleared the yard, the house, and the surrounding perimeter out to about fifteen feet from the edge of the fence. I didn't find anything," she continued to speak as Sousuke nodded at her.

"What can we do?" Sousuke inquired. He seemed to be interested in finding some kind of magical answer to his current dilemma.

"Well, I am going to ask Skuld to set Banpei to be a bit more aggressive. He should have intervened if the person in question had been a demon. So I think we may want to branch out on his list of targets Mr. Sousuke," she spoke deliberately.

"Armaments?" Sousuke inquired.

"It shouldn't be necessary. He has been known to scare off Hild and Marller," Belldandy replied with her normal easiness.

"I probably shouldn't booby trap the garden?" Sousuke asked her with a smirk.

"I would hope not," Belldandy confirmed as she tucked an errant string of hair back behind her ear.

Sousuke nodded once at Belldandy before turning and making his way to the back door of the home. He withdrew a small flash light from his pocket and began to walk the perimeter of the home as he held the P$90$ close to his chest. He didn't expect to find anything but he didn't want to rule out the off chance he might locate some kind of clue.

He traced the same foot steps that Belldandy took. He couldn't shake an uneasy feeling as he knelt under the window to the kitchen and inspected the floor. What ever foot prints or tracks he expected to find where marred by the massive metal foot claws that Belldandy had summoned. He couldn't find anything to make sense of who or what could have had an interest in challenging Urd in their own home.

Sousuke stood and rubbed his arm slowly. He could feel the heat surging into his face as he struggled to control his temper. He involuntarily jerked as he remembered the first time he was shot. He sighed aloud as he turned to stare towards the perimeter wall that surrounded their home. He fantasized about catching the man who threatened Urd. He wanted to capture the man and torture him. He imagined all the ways he could inflict suffering on a person.

Sousuke startled when he realized Skuld was standing next to him. He jerked his head towards her. He had been so lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice the tiny Goddess make her way up to him until she was on top of him. He felt himself growing angrier with himself.

"Hey, sorry," she spoke before holding up a small device towards him. "This is a communication device I just invented like ten minutes ago," she explained as she dangled the radio like tool out wards.

Sousuke took the device and looked at it. The hand held radio was silver with black buttons with a long tri-band antenna. "It's a radio?" he asked as he looked at Skuld.

Skuld scowled. "It's not just a radio. It is a COMMUNICATION device that can put you in contact with me or Urd, even if we were in another dimension," she grumbled as she reached into her pocket and withdrew a second identical device. She shook it at him before returning it to where she drew it from.

Sousuke nodded before clipping the radio to his belt. He placed it so it hung off of his right hip. "Thank you," Sousuke spoke to her as they stood in silence in the dark. He returned to looking about the yard wistfully, wishing for an opportunity to crush those hidden enemies he couldn't pin point yet.

"Of course," Skuld replied as she interlaced her finger tips and rested her palms on the top of her head. She grinned at him as she began to rock back and forth on the balls and heels of her feet.

Sousuke felt shock as he lifted his flash light and noticed the three red roses tucked under her bicep that she had accidentally revealed. "Skuld, are those...?" he allowed his voice to trail off as he dropped the volume.

Skuld felt shock rock her body as she realized what Sousuke had seen. She slammed her arms down and stared at him. She didn't know what to say as they both stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Skuld finally broke the silence as she whispered a 'yes' in his direction.

"Does anyone else know?" Sousuke asked her as he turned so anyone looking at them from the window would not be able to see his lips.

"No," Skuld replied timidly.

"Shinji?" Sousuke continued his questioning.

"Uhuh," Skuld replied as she nodded her head once.

Sousuke grunted in reply as he grew contemplative. He shifted the P$90$ as he fidgeted.

"You going to tell my sisters?" she questioned softly.

Sousuke shook his head once in the negative before looking at her. "Are you being safe?" he inquired.

"Yup, I carry my hammer..." Skuld joked awkwardly.

"I could buy you some toy balloons and some rubber bands for Shinji," Sousuke replied.

Skuld nearly choked as she stifled a laugh. "Aren't those the tiny balloons you can buy at the $99$ cent store?"

Sousuke nodded.

Skuld grinned at him before holding her index fingers up and out while wiggling them up and down.

Sousuke guffawed and grinned before speaking. "Gross," he breathed out as the pair shared a laugh.

\scenebreak

"You failed," Pallas spoke slowly as he gazed down his nose at Kaname Chidori. The imposing Titan held a look of disgust on his chiseled features as he watched the young woman cower at his feet. "I told you to capture her," he continued to speak.

"I couldn't," Kaname blurted out as she held out her arm. The skin was burnt and leaking puss where she had been injured by Urd. "I tried, but she burned me, I thought you said she couldn't do magic right now. I'm not a kidnapper!" she yelled at the Titan as tears streamed from her eyes.

"What is the price of failure?" Pallas questioned her. He leaned forward at the waist and wrapped his massive hand around the arm she had extended towards him. Her flesh tore under his grip as he lifted her arm up above her head until she was dangling off the floor in whole body.

Kaname screamed at the top of her lungs as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to grip at his hand with her other arm. She kicked her feet uncontrollably.

Pallas carried her towards Athena and dropped her at the feet of the Goddess. His features twisted in rage as Kaname continued to scream and cry. He grew tired of the noise she was making and contemplated simply killing her. "You are in luck," he spoke to her.

Athena shuddered as she eyed the torn flesh dangling from the arm that Kaname was cradling in her hand.

"Shut your mouth," Pallas bellowed. His voice shook the room and filled the air with a foreboding feeling that silenced Kaname instantly.

Pallas reached down and unhooked his belt buckle. He slowly began to draw the belt from the loops of his pants as he eyed Kaname with a look of rage on his face.

Kaname froze. She watched the massive Titan removing his belt and cowered under his gaze. She felt real terror welling up inside her as she closed her eyes tight. Her breath was ragged and she shook as she wondered what was to come.

"Take it," Pallas spoke to her. "Open your eyes and take it," he demanded as his deep voice rattled her to the core.

Kaname opened a single eye to find the large, heavy, leather belt dangling in front of her face from his massive fist. Kaname reached out with her unburned arm and took the belt from him. She allowed the massive leather strap to dangle to the floor from her grip.

"Turn around," Pallas commanded Athena as he pointed at her. He held her gaze until she acquiesced.

The Goddess turned and held her chin high as the reality of the situation donned on her. Pallas stepped towards her and gripped the back of her silken gown with his fist before yanking the fabric down and off of the top of her body. She stood proud as she waited for what she could expect was to come.

"Kneel," Pallas spoke to her.

The Goddess complied.

"What are you doing?" Kaname choked out between sobs as she watched Athena kneel beside her. She stood rapidly when Pallas reached for her, she realized he wanted her to stand. She continued to hold the belt in her hand as her burned arm dangled uselessly at her side. She continued to leak blood into a puddle on the floor.

"Hit her," he demanded. He pointed a single massive digit at the Goddess as he stared Kaname down.

"What? No, I can't," Kaname spluttered as she looked from Pallas to Athena and back. She felt her knees shaking as she turned her attention on the unblemished skin on the back of the Goddess.

Pallas didn't reply. He reached into his breast pocket on his coat before withdrawing a large pair of knuckle weapons. He slipped them over his hands before staring down at Kaname.

"Do it," Athena spoke aloud.

Kaname began to protest but was silenced when Athena angrily shouted at her. "Do it you stupid girl before he kills us both," she commanded.

Kaname turned to face the Goddess and lifted the leather strap up before bringing it down limply. The leather bounced off of her skin harmlessly as Kaname began to cry uncontrollably.

"Harder!" Pallas exploded at her.

"Do it!" Athena shouted.

Kaname pulled her arm further back before whipping it forward sharply. The leather cracked louder as it connected with the Goddesses skin. She didn't flinch.

Pallas pulled his arm back as though he were preparing to lunge at Athena. The metallic knuckle weapons glimmered in the harsh light of the room as Kaname felt her mouth dry.

"I'll do it!" Kaname cried out. She shook the belt in her hand as she began to splutter and choke on the mucus forming in her nose and mouth. She sobbed as she began to whip and beat Athena with the leather belt rhythmically.

"You stop when I tell you," Pallas commanded.

Kaname counted the blows in her head as she beat Athena harder and harder with the belt. She watched as the beautiful skin on her back grew red at fifty blows and then split open to leave wide weeping bloody wounds at a hundred. She was crying so violently that she couldn't see what she was doing any more. The leather belt landed wild blows that grazed the back of the head of Athena or missed entirely sometimes.

"Enough," Pallas finally spoke. Athena collapsed in a heap as her red and bloodied back left an ever widening pool that mixed with the blood that Kaname was continuing to leak on the floor. "This is how I will punish you. This is the price you will pay Kaname," he thundered. "Your failure will be taken from the flesh of Athena," he turned as he spoke before clapping his hands and vanishing from the room.

Kaname threw the belt across the room and allowed it to slap against the wall before falling to her knees next to the Goddess. She held out her good arm and allowed it to hover over the crumpled form of the Goddess. "What do I do?" she cried out as she stared down at the bloodied and broken body of the Goddess.

Athena grunted as she shifted her weight onto her shoulder and the side of her face before kicking out her legs. She moved her arms slowly until she was laying on her belly with her arms held up towards her head. She shuddered and shook wordlessly.

"I'm so sorry," Kaname chanted repeatedly. She rocked back and forth as she continued to cry and beg for forgiveness. "How do I help?" she interjected as she stared down at Athena.

Athena blew a soft and barely audible shush before falling silent again.

Kaname shuddered before laying down beside the Goddess. She wrapped herself with her good arm as the pair lay in the bloody puddle on the floor together. She continued to choke on her sobs as she stared at the back of Athena's head. She could see the gobs of drying blood in her hair and the cuts on her ear where the errant belt had cut her flesh.

"I'll never leave you," Kaname whispered at Athena. "I'll save you, I promise," she sobbed. "I'll get us both out of here, please forgive me," she spoke as she bit her lip. She shifted her weight to free her good arm and began to dig her thumb into her own wounded arm. She reopened the seeping wound and winced as she caused herself pain. She wanted to demonstrate solidarity with Athena as she quietly worked to cause herself increasing pain and injury.

"I told you to run you stupid girl," Athena breathed softly as she listened to Kaname groan and cry. "You should have ran while you had the chance," she continued to whisper before falling unconscious.

Kaname and Athena drifted in and out of consciousness together as the pair lay on the floor. Kaname never left her side as she attempted to comfort the wounded Goddess.


	9. Ah! A Goddess Prepares For Work?

Sousuke sat with his arms crossed as Urd walked around him with a contemplative look on her face. She held a pair of scissors in her right hand as she used her left to turn and twist Sousuke's head about to gaze at his hair. "I just need a trim," he spoke to her as she continued to eye ball the hair on the top of his head.

"Sure," Urd replied as she reached out, paused, and returned the scissors to the low ready. She still hadn't cut a single hair in the twelve minutes she had spent inspecting his hair. "This needs to be perfect, so you can get the job," she breathed as she wiped at her forehead with the back of her wrist.

"Should I hire someone to do this?" he questioned her. He opened one eye and watched as she continued to eye ball different parts of his head.

"No, I got this," Urd replied before taking a deep breath and reaching out to hold up a few strands of hair. She snipped them softly and watched as the tuft tumbled down his shoulder. "See," she spoke as a tiny grin lifted the corner of her lip.

Sousuke closed his eyes again and went back to allowing her to work. He relaxed as Urd continued to snip and lift with increasing frequency as she grew more comfortable with cutting his hair.

"OK, look," she finally spoke as she stepped away from him and admired her handy work.

Sousuke opened his eyes and looked into the mirror to find that she had done a acceptable job. She had attempted to replicate his fade and trimmed the top of his head. He turned his head back and forth as he checked the different parts. "Can you shave my neck?" he questioned her.

"Sure," Urd replied before reaching for his shaving cream and razor. The Goddess lathered the back of his neck and squared off his hair cut, ensuring that he didn't have any errant hairs running down his back. She wiped him down with a hot towel and inspected his neck carefully. "Looks good I think," she spoke as she returned the grooming implements to the sink.

"Thank you," Sousuke spoke as he ran his hand through his hair. He stood and waited patiently until he was allowed access to the sink before washing his head, face, and neck under the warm running water. He dried off on one of the towels and inspected himself a few more times in the mirror before nodding his head. "Looks very good," he confirmed again.

Urd beamed as she finished cleaning and putting away the cleaning implements. She reached out and hugged him. The pair held each other for several seconds before exiting the bathroom together. Skuld stood in the hallway patiently with a lollipop in her mouth. She looked at Sousuke's hair cut for several seconds before tossing him a thumbs up. She then slid past the pair into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Urd followed Sousuke into the kitchen. She watched as he approached the refrigerator and pulled down his interview letter from under a magnet holding it to the device. "Tomorrow, right?" Urd asked him softly as she sat at the kitchen table.

Sousuke grunted an affirmative reply before opening the fridge and drawing a small individual serving size of milk from the fridge. He shut the door and turned before closing the gap with Urd and sitting at the chair next to hers. He took a drink from the milk box before proffering it towards Urd. She accepted it and pressed the drink to her lips before returning it to him.

Sousuke continued to reread the letter, looking for any hints or information that he may have missed. "I need to wear a suit," he spoke to himself as he read the instructions. He paused before turning to Urd. "I hope I get the car today."

"If not, Skuld can take you," Urd volunteered her sister as she placed her elbows out onto the table and intertwined her fingers to make a bridge that she rested her chin on. She watched Sousuke read while he drank his milk. The cinnamon skinned Goddess couldn't help but smile.

It was several minutes later when the phone began to ring. Sousuke stood and walked to the hallway where he lifted the receiver to his ear. "Morisato, Sagara,... and Skuld residence," he spoke as he noticed Skuld eying him from her room. She grinned at him.

"Hey partner!" Herb nearly shouted into the phone. "You can come by and pick up your car when ever you are ready," he continued.

"Most excellent," Sousuke replied. He felt excitement and relief at the idea of acquiring his vehicle before his job interview. He was happy to know he wouldn't have to rent a cab or rely on someone else to make sure he got to his appointment on time. "I will be there shortly," he stated before hanging up.

"Car?" Skuld questioned him.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied.

Skuld held up her keys and jingled them as she grinned wildly. "Let's do it," she exclaimed as she moved from the doorway of her room towards the kitchen.

Sousuke laughed as the pair walked into the kitchen together. Urd smiled at the pair as she relished their infectious joy. "The car is ready?" she questioned him as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

"It is!" he laughed as he kissed her on the lips. He lifted her lightly and twirled her for a few inches before placing her back on the floor. "I love you so much, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met," he gushed before placing several more kisses on her face.

"What got into you?" Urd laughed as she nuzzled into his chest. She withdrew and pointed at the door. "Well, go get it!" she laughed.

Sousuke turned and reached up quickly. Skuld had summoned his helmet and tossed it to him. He put it on his head and the pair made their way to the Banpei RR.

"Do you want me to cook?" Urd asked as he mounted the bike behind Skuld.

"No, I will take you to dinner tonight, dress up," Sousuke replied.

Urd waved and smiled as she watched Skuld accelerating away. She turned and entered the home before heading for their bedroom. She had some special plans that she wanted to accomplish. She made her way to the closet, opened the door, and began rummaging.

"Where did Skuld and Sousuke go?" Belldandy as she stood in the doorway to Urd's room. The two sisters made eye contact and Urd grinned.

"They went to get Sousuke his car," Urd felt her lips tugging higher. "So, I am glad you are here because Sousuke and I are going out tonight before he goes to his interview," she spoke before withdrawing a magazine from the closet.

"What do you need from me?" Belldandy asked her.

"Well, since I can't do magic, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," Urd explained as she began to flip through the magazine.

"Of course," Belldandy smiled serenely as she watched Urd.

"Here," Urd spoke as she held out the magazine. The magazine appeared to be a racy spread full of attractive young girls wearing different provocative outfits. Urd pressed the magazine into the outstretched hands of Belldandy before placing her index finger on the page.

"Urd?" Belldandy questioned as her eyes grew wide.

"Can you use your magic to dress me up like this?" she questioned as she grinned. "I know it is kind of weird to have to ask, but since I can't cast spells, it would be nice if you helped me out," she smirked.

Belldandy blinked several times before lifting the magazine up and taking a long look at it. "I suppose I could Urd," Belldandy replied. She studied the page carefully before looking back up at Urd. "Will there be a second outfit?"

Urd took the magazine back from her, dog eared the page, and then flipped forward several pages before locating another picture spread. She pointed at the outfit and laughed as she looked at the shock that Belldandy wore. "This one," she grinned.

"OK," Belldandy spoke slowly as she took back the booklet and began to flip back and forth between the pages. She studied the two out fits carefully. "You are sure?" she questioned one more time as she felt obligated.

Urd began to laugh as she watched Belldandy. "Yes, I am sure," she spoke before holding out her arms and allowing her sister to look at them. "I am covered in squiggles. Do you think this makes it any worse?" she asked.

"I suppose," Belldandy replied. "I need to be honest with you. I am really glad that my markings are not visible when I wear clothing. It makes me feel more comfortable," she continued.

Urd smirked. "I would write the name Sousuke on my forehead if I thought I wouldn't get in trouble with him," she began to laugh as she stared at the stricken look that Belldandy wore. "Oh come on, you don't feel the same way for Keiichi?" she prodded.

"I do, I think, I just wouldn't want to put a target like that on myself," Belldandy replied. "Prudence and caution," she breathed before looking at the magazine a final time. "Do you want this now?"

"Can we do it as soon as he gets home?" Urd asked.

"Sure," Belldandy replied before handing the magazine back.

\scenebreak

"Are we prepared for the interviews tomorrow?" Marller questioned as she looked about the room they had rented from Mithril. She wore a pair of black slacks and a loose black tank top with a pair of black heeled boots.

"I would say so," Tessa replied. She had her hair up in a pony tail and was wearing a white shirt and pants with matching boots. "We will start by having the applicants..." her voice trailed off as she watched Tamiya carefully inspecting the roster of recruits they had left on the table. "Have you finished moving the furniture?" she asked him.

The powerfully built auto club member looked up from the papers and nodded once. He replaced the papers carefully before approaching Marller and Tessa. "Is there anything else that needs to be accomplished?" he inquired.

"Can you do me a favor and keep an eye out for our babysitter, Lind? She is supposed to be headed this way for an introduction and we have wards that will force her to appear in the waiting room," Marller spoke kindly to the rough looking friend of Tessa's.

Tamiya grunted in reply before leaving the room and heading to stand near the door. He stood with his hands on his hips and stared directly into the center of the waiting room. He made a decision and reached out to pull the door shut leaving Marller and Tessa alone.

"Look, let's get this straight, we want Sousuke," Marller spoke the moment the door shut.

"He is most qualified and the obvious candidate," Tessa replied.

"Lind is going to work to block that," Marller continued.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less," Tessa nodded as she moved towards the center interview desk and hopped up to sit on the edge.

"All of the paper work, the tests, and the documents must be perfect," Marller sighed. "I don't want to leave them a single hand hold when they try to stop this," she stared at Tessa nervously.

"This is new ground for a lot of folks but I know that we can make it happen," Tessa spoke.

The sound of three sharp knocks interrupted the pair and their speaking. Marller smiled internally about Tamiya. "Come in," she spoke commandingly.

The door opened and Tamiya entered. He held the door before ushering the Goddess Lind through the threshold. "They are here," he spoke before closing the door behind himself wordlessly. He left the trio in the room alone.

"Ms. Lind," Tessa began to speak but was interrupted as the Goddess shot her a withering look.

"Valkyrie Lind," the Goddess corrected as she leveled her steely gaze on Marller. "None of us want me to be here so let's just get it straight," she growled as she stared at Marller. "We have serious concerns about you recruiting a human and we still have concerns about the fact that you have not reported anything about the 'Battle for Hell' as it is known."

"We aren't here to discuss that," Marller replied snappishly. "We ARE here to make a decision on our legal hiring of a volunteer," she continued to speak before halting as Lind held up her hand.

"Spare me the theatrics Marller," Lind froze as the Demoness interrupted her.

"Magus Marller," she proffered forcefully.

The pair stared daggers at each other.

"Ladies, how about we take a seat," Tessa offered with little room for interpretation. She had made a demand.

The three made their way to the table and sat. Lind on one side with Marller directly across from her. Tessa pulled up a chair and sat to the side in between the pair.

"Why are you so against Marller hiring Sousuke?" Tessa asked Lind point blank.

"That question is the exact reason why this entire process is a farce. You don't even understand what you are contributing to," Lind spat as she slammed both of her hands on the table. The force of her hands compressed the wood enough that it left imprints of her digits.

"Humor me," Tessa replied calmly.

"They have at least one Ten-K and possibly another," Lind replied. She rubbed at her forehead for a split second before sighing. "A Ten-K is the slang term for a Goddess who can destroy an army of ten thousand single handedly."

Tessa gave her a look of disbelief before turning her attention on Marller. "Who are they talking about?"

"They think that Urd is going to secretly start serving Hild," Marller replied as she rolled her eyes. The Demoness crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat as she shot an exasperated glare at Lind.

"Don't try to play us!" Lind nearly exploded. "We know that Hild and Sousuke have a more than cordial relationship, and what ever he asks, Urd would do!" she continued to glare.

"We ate dinner with him one time," Marller shook her head and smirked. She began to look at Lind as though she were an obstinate child instead of a dangerous Valkyrie.

"He was willing to destroy the Universe to protect Hild," Lind hissed as she leaned forward onto the table with her palms downwards. "His actions tell me a lot," Lind whispered through grit teeth.

"I wasn't there to witness any of these claims," Marller replied. The grinning Demoness shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head to the side. "The only ones who claim that he behaved inappropriately are Valkyries," she continued before clucking her tongue. "Sad really," she continued.

Lind seethed.

"You know, it would take a real idiot to invade the home of the ruler of Hell under the pretense of providing relief. Luckily there isn't any one in this Universe who would threaten my Queen and then complain when someone prevented a war by scaring her off," Marller behaved in an overly thought filled manner as she stared wistfully into the corner.

"Only an ass hole," Lind concurred with a glint in her eyes. She looked positively ready to burst as she gnashed her teeth.

"Enough of this," Tessa barked angrily. Lind and Marller rotated to face her with a look of surprise on their face as her previously calm demeanor melted.

"You, outside," she demanded as she pointed at Marller. The Demoness looked offended for a moment before standing and exiting the room wordlessly. She didn't so much as look twice as she shut the door behind herself.

"You," Tessa grumbled as she pointed at Lind, "Give me your top objection to Sousuke taking this position," she pressed the finger tip of her left index finger onto the table as she tried to make her point.

"We don't think this is a prudent course of action and could spur an arms race as Goddesses and Demons start getting bred for the sole purpose of making fighting machines," she replied bluntly.

"Sousuke isn't a Goddess," replied Tessa. She leveled a calm gaze on Lind. "I need an actual objection in relation to Sousuke himself and not to his girlfriend or family," she continued to speak.

Lind grew silent. The Valkyrie appeared ready to reply but would fall silent as she attempted to formulate an acceptable answer. "I don't think that Hild and Marller are hiring Sousuke just because he has a little combat experience," she finally replied.

"Not my problem," Tessa replied. She crossed her arms and sighed before continuing to speak. "No one does any thing transparently. This holds true in our line of work," she paused before reaching into her pocket and withdrawing a small coin purse. She used her finger tips to open the latch and fished around inside with her index finger before withdrawing a tiny photo of Sousuke. She then placed it on the desk.

Lind looked intently at the tattered and well worn image. The soldier was standing at attention beside a grinning Tessa who was leaning against him. He wore no smile and he appeared distinctly uncomfortable with her physical affection. "I know what he looks like," Lind spoke.

"I do too," Tessa replied. "The way I see it, I am the deciding factor on how this deal goes and I need your view point. Heaven," she jabbed a finger at Lind. "Earth," she pointed at herself. "Hell," she pointed at the door. "It requires a majority vote and right now, I want to know what the real problem is before I put someone I love in harms way," she breathed angrily.

"Hild is manipulating the whole lot of you and we don't know what she wants," Lind replied. "Sousuke is in the sights of a lot of very powerful people who are going to be very upset if he signs up for this job," she continued. "He is in danger," she finished.

"Sousuke is always in danger," Tessa replied flippantly. "It's my job to protect him the way I can," she reached down and placed the image back into her coin purse and tucked it away. "I am going to provide my consent for the hiring process. Tomorrow we will do the interviews and if there are no objections on his part, I would report back that he is being hired."

"You are condemning this world to a war," Lind replied. She scowled at Tessa before standing. "I can see that we do not have an ally in you Tessa."

"Let's get one thing straight," Tessa replied with a cool demeanor and even voice. "I am here for Sousuke and for no one else. I have ended the lives of men and sent my own soldiers on missions where they never came back. I am well versed in war. You are not going to find a person more willing to look at every angle here, but you are not presenting a worth while argument. Sousuke gets rich by playing soldier with some monsters and you all want to start whoring out your friends and family? Do it," she let her words cut like a knife as Lind gaped at her.

"So be it," Lind replied as she stood and turned towards the door. She moved so quickly it caused an eruption of wind in the room that blew Tessa's hair around and spilled all of the papers on the desk into the air. The door blew open at her touch and she vanished the moment she made it past the wards.

"Are you all right?" Marller asked carefully. She explored the room with her eyes before visibly relaxing. "I didn't think she would be stupid enough to hurt you, but really, I had one of those 'what if' moments right there," she grinned at Tessa. The demoness flashed her sharpened fangs for a moment before relaxing and snapping her fingers. The papers returned to their place on the desk.

"I can't wait until this is over," Tessa sighed as she stretched her arms over her head before beckoning Tamiya to herself. "You drive me somewhere I can get drunk tonight and I will reward you handsomely," she barked the order at him as he smiled serenely at her.

"What does my Goddess demand?" Tamiya questioned her much to the chagrin of Marller.

"Surprise me," Tessa replied as she motioned to the door. "I will be here tomorrow bright and early so we can begin the tests and get this over with. See you then," she smiled at Marller.

"Have a good evening," Marller replied as she flipped the lights off to the room and shut the door. The trio made their way out of the building together before Marller vanished in an acrid puff of smoke that revealed her direct teleportation to Hell.

Tamiya held up his hands and caught the keys that Tessa tossed at him. The small ring of keys jingled as they approached Tessa's Lexus RCF. The bright red sports car glimmered under the twilight sky as Tamiya approached the passenger door and opened it for Tessa. She patted him on the head before entering the vehicle and pulling her seat belt down over her chest.

"Will every thing be all right?" Tamiya asked her as he entered the drivers side, belted himself in, and started the motor. The vehicle hummed dangerously as they sat in the parking lot in silence.

"I want to lie to you and tell you yes," Tessa replied as she leaned back into the well bolstered leather seat and closed her eyes. She shifted her body to the side and curled up into the thick leather with a wistful sight. "Can you wake me when you get me where you are taking me?"

Tamiya replied by shifting the vehicle into drive and pulling out of the parking lot at a calm pace. He began to drive as he thought about where exactly he should take his girlfriend. He knew that she loved good wine, fancy dining, and adventure. He grew more contemplative as he passed stop light after stop light before making a left towards the main high way. He figured out where he wanted to take her.

\scenebreak

Sousuke pulled the Charger into the yard of his home slowly. The massive vehicle growled furiously as it continued to operate on all eight cylinders. He grinned for several seconds before turning the key to the off position and making his way out of the vehicle. He could hear the sound of the radiator thumping and burbling as he passed the nose of the vehicle and made his way towards the house.

Skuld pulled into the drive way a few moments later and parked her bike near the massive vehicle. She whooped as she dismounted from her motorcycle and ran to catch up with Sousuke. She hopped up and threw her arms around his neck before interlocking her legs around his body. She laughed maniacally as Sousuke continued to walk towards the house.

"You should drive it," he spoke as he halted at the door. He pointed at the floor and the tiny Goddess jumped down off of his back before following him into the home.

"Awesome! I will do that eventually!" she nearly cried out as she began to make her way down the hall. "I need to make a call," she spoke before reaching down to unhook her radio phone from her belt and vanishing into her room.

"Hey," the sultry voice of Urd caught his attention as he turned towards the kitchen. Sousuke was floored as he stared at the beautiful Goddess and the clothing that she wore.

Urd grinned cheekily as she shifted her body back and forth in a gentle sway. She was wearing a knee length sun dress in alternating colors of black and white. She had clipped stockings that covered her legs up to her knees and a pair of metal rings on her middle fingers that both sprouted chains that ended in bracelets on either wrist. She also had ear rings that were made in the shape of tiny P$90$ carbines. Her boots laced up her legs over the stockings.

Sousuke felt his mouth dry as he stared at her. He struggled to form words or speech as he gazed at the beautiful woman before him.

"We are still doing dinner, right?" She questioned before twirling once. She revealed the shimmering silver embroidery of wings on the back of the dress before turning to face him again.

"We are," Sousuke replied. He moved towards her rapidly before slipping his hands from her thighs up under her dress. He captured her lips with his before looking shocked as Urd laughed.

"No panties," The Goddess laughed as he explored her bare flesh under the dress for a moment. He withdrew his hands and smiled at her.

"I almost forgot!" she spoke before withdrawing something from her pocket. She handed the object to Sousuke and turned before raising her hands to lift her hair out of the way.

Sousuke looked down into his hands and discovered she had handed him a lace and chain choker that he wrapped around her neck and clasped. He gazed at her pig tails as she visibly relaxed as he placed the necklace on her.

"Thanks," she giggled before reaching up and grabbing his face. They shared another kiss before breaking. "We should go," she spoke.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied as he motioned towards the door. He stumbled for a moment as he turned his head to watch Belldandy snap her fingers once. He found himself wearing a suit and tie that was in black. He was well dressed after her magical ministrations.

Sousuke nodded at her and she returned the gesture in kind. He held out his arms and looked down at himself. He appreciated the quality of the out fit she had put on him. It was made of extremely fine materials and stitched well. He liked it.

Urd grinned at Sousuke as the pair made their way to his vehicle. He followed her to the passenger door before reaching past her and opening it for her. The Goddess gave him a peck on the cheek before entering the vehicle and allowing Sousuke to close the door behind her.

Sousuke made his way around the vehicle to the drivers side before opening the door and entering. He sat in the heavy leather seat and actuated the ignition before pulling his seat belt down over his chest and reaching over to pat her leg. The radio blinked to life and a commercial began to play for a restaurant located in the far down town section of the city.

"Let's go there," Sousuke replied as he pointed at the radio. It sounded extremely fancy and the appropriate place for them to wear their out fits.

"It says we need reservations," Urd pouted as she began to listen intently to the claims of entertainment, food, and an intimate dining experience.

Sousuke shrugged before pulling the radio that Skuld had made him out of the glove box and pressing digits on the device. He tuned the speaker with a knob on the top of the device before it began to ring the restaurant.

"La Petite Fenêtre," the feminine voice came over the device. "How may I help you?"

"Greetings, I am interested in attaining a reservation for two for the chefs table. I would like it for this evening," Sousuke spoke to the representative from the restaurant.

"Normally we have a four week waiting list but you are in luck, we had a cancellation only minutes ago and we have space available for two. Are you familiar with the eating arrangements?" the woman questioned him.

"Of sorts," Sousuke replied. "We have no dietary restrictions and no special requests," he replied.

"Excellent, the table will be available in an hour," the woman replied.

"We are on our way," Sousuke spoke. "Please hold the table under Sagara," he smiled before patting Urd on the leg.

"Of course sir, thank you for your call," the woman replied before hanging up.

"How lucky!" Urd exclaimed as the pair began their trip to the restaurant. "Have you ever done a chef table dinner before?" she asked Sousuke as she began to rummage and explore the vehicle. She seemed to share the same interest in investigating all of the nooks and crannies as Skuld did.

"Lucky is a good word for it," Sousuke replied as he accelerated towards the on ramp. They had a long journey to reach the heart of the city. The radio continued to play popular songs between different bouts of commercials. The sun dipped below the horizon and the automatic headlights on the vehicle engaged to illuminate the road.

"This is exciting," Urd spoke as she gazed out of the windows. "It's like I am a human girl," she spoke excitedly. "We are going on a trip in a car and I can't fast travel using magic and you are so handsome," she gushed as she began to press her nose against the glass to the window. She was trying to look into the other cars on the highway as they sped down the road.

Sousuke smiled as he occasionally shot her a sideways glance when safety permitted. He chuckled softly as she pulled her head away from the glass and glared at him. Her face left an outline on the glass.

"Are you laughing?" she asked him as she smiled.

"Just happy to see you so happy," he explained as they finally exited the freeway. The trip seemed to take much less time than he anticipated and he had no troubles in locating the restaurant. The Charger grumbled powerfully as he slunk into a spot and brought the beast to a halt. "Wait here," he spoke as he exited the vehicle and made his way to her door. He continued to look about the parking lot as he opened the door to the vehicle and extended a hand to assist Urd out of the vehicle.

"Thank you," she grinned as she latched onto his arm. Urd could hear the Charger beep as Sousuke pressed a button on his key fob before tucking them into the front coat pocket of his suit. "This is so fun! It's like being human!" she continued to whisper towards him as they made their way towards the well lit front of the building.

The door opened and a smiling young girl stood in the door way as they approached. She ushered them inside with a flourish of her hands. "Welcome!" she smiled wide as she eyed the pair.

"We have a reservation for two for Sousuke Sagara," the soldier spoke as he looked about the restaurant. Numerous patrons were sitting around white table cloth covered tables replete with flowers and candles arranged on each.

"Fancy," Urd whispered into his ear as she leaned towards him and grinned.

Sousuke nodded once.

"Please, follow me," the waitress spoke. She gestured towards a pair of double doors near the back of the dining room. "Have you ever experienced a Chef's Table?" she asked.

"Negative," Sousuke replied as Urd shook her head in the negative as well.

"You will be eating in the kitchen as Chef Sease prepares many of his world famous meals for you," the waitress explained as they made their way in between the tables and ever closer to the kitchen. "This is an intimate dining experience so you will be eating with only three other couples," she continued before pressing her hand out to open one of the doors for the pair. She leaned against it as Sousuke led Urd into the room, his head on a swivel as he looked about.

Sousuke felt his eyes immediately drawn to the table where he spotted the familiar silver pony tail of Tessa Testarossa. The wide frame of Tamiya dwarfed her with his massive shoulders and well built arms that he held crossed over his chest. Three empty tumblers and a third half full sat in front of Tessa on the massive metal table.

"Please, have a seat here," the waitress offered as she gestured at two open seats on the side of the table. Urd and Sousuke moved to the table and Sousuke reached out to pat Tessa on her shoulder. "Greetings Commander," he spoke as he withdrew Urd's chair.

"Sousuke!" Tessa shouted as she nearly tumbled right out of her chair. She cheered as she hefted her glass up and hopped up and off of the metal chair. She extended her arms and hugged Sousuke before releasing him and moving to Urd to repeat the gesture. "You look down right sexy!" she squealed in Urd's ear as she stepped back and motioned for the two to sit.

Tamiya grunted a greeting before shaking hands with Sousuke. He then nodded at Urd. His usual stoic attitude remained firm as he remained calm at the surprise of the pair showing up for dinner.

"Fancy meeting you here," Tessa breathed through large gulps of her mixed drink. She pointed at Urd before querying, "Would you like a drink?"

"I think I will have iced tea," Urd replied with a sheepish smile.

"No sake?" Tessa pressed her.

"We are playing it safe," Urd replied as she held up her hands to wave off any attempts to provide her with alcohol.

"Safe?" Tessa questioned her with a confused look before her eyes grew wide. "You are pregnant?!" she practically shouted as her glass tipped dangerously to the side in her hand.

"Urd and I will be parents soon," Sousuke confirmed with a nod as he turned to smile at her.

"When were you going to tell us?!" Tessa nearly exploded as she stared at Sousuke incredulously.

"Soon," Sousuke replied with a shrug. He wasn't sure any one would be interested in their current situation with all of the other important business happening as it was. "I just didn't think people would care," he replied with a shrug.

Tessa scowled at him before standing. "Switch, now!" she demanded. The inebriated woman swayed for a moment as she shook her head at him incredulously. "You knock up your girlfriend and think none of us would care?" she practically shouted.

Sousuke was dumb founded as Tessa looked back and forth between Urd and himself. He stood quickly and offered his chair to the young commander who immediately pressed the chair close to Urd and sat down. He watched as Tessa downed the rest of her drink before leaning forward on her hands and pressing her face uncomfortably close to Urd.

"Well?" Tessa questioned the Goddess.

Urd broke eye contact with Tessa before passing a confused look at Sousuke. "I am having a baby," she spoke slowly.

"How far along are you?" Tessa pressed.

"Close," Urd replied with a grin.

Tessa scowled at the Goddess as she ran her eyes up and down her body. "Close? You don't show? If this monster knocked me up I would probably look like I swallowed a balloon," she spat as she jerked her thumb at Tamiya.

The auto club member shifted uncomfortably in his seat but kept a passive face.

Sousuke heard the double doors open and the waitress step inside again. She held the door with a strange look on her face. She looked awestruck and Sousuke realized why as the tall and leggy form of Hild entered the room. The Lord of Hell herself grinned and slowly raised her index finger to her lip as she eyed Sousuke. Tessa and Urd had not noticed her entrance yet and were deep in conversation.

Hild was covered in jewelery from head to toe. She was weighed down with silver, gold, platinum, and an endless number of diamonds and rubies that even hung from her hair she had pulled into a bun. Under the fortune of jewelery she wore a simple white dress and a pair of black high heels. Hild moved unnaturally silently until she was directly behind Urd before throwing her arms around her neck and erupting into a squeal of pleasure. "Urd my love! How are you!?" she cried out as she held her daughter close to her chest.

Urd blanched as she froze in the arms of Hild. Her eyes flickered to Sousuke and she showed real fear in the radiant purple pools of her eyes. "Hello Hild," Urd offered lamely as she tepidly patted her arm that was looped around her neck. "I'm surprised you are here," she continued.

"Oh Urd! It's so good to see you and Sousuke! This is a real pleasant surprise!" she beamed excitedly before releasing Urd and moving to hug Sousuke as well. She was overly gentle in holding him before releasing him and pointing. "May I?" she inquired to Tamiya. The man stood quickly and offered his chair to Hild before moving down the line to another seat.

A few seconds later Marller entered the room, shot a confused glance at the people sitting around the table, and then turned to beckon her date in. "Hello every one," Marller spoke over her shoulder as she held an odd expression. "I apparently work with or know every one here," she spoke before reaching out and grabbing the hand of a man that she pulled through the door.

Sousuke watched as a gentleman wearing a suit much like his own entered the room holding Marller's hand. The pair made their way to the opposite side of the table and sat next to each other.

"Oh my! Who is this?" Hild questioned as she eye balled the gentleman Marller had brought.

"Ma'am," the man spoke. He was about to introduce himself when Sousuke interrupted him.

"Atsunobu-san?" Sousuke questioned slowly. He recognized the silver hair, spectacles, and aloof attitude of the man. "Is that you?"

"Sousuke?" Atsunobu smiled before extending a hand to shake his hand.

"You two know each other?" Marller questioned exasperatedly. She looked back and forth between the two.

"We were fellows at our High School," Atsunobu offered. "Is Kaname coming?" he questioned Sousuke with a friendly grin.

Urd scowled as the room dropped in temperature.

Atsunobu realized his mistake instantly before turning his attention on Urd. "My apologies," he replied before gesturing towards her. "Who is this visage of beauty?" he asked Sousuke.

"This is Urd, my girlfriend," Sousuke introduce the pair.

"My pleasure," Atsunobu replied.

"How did you two meet?" Urd asked immediately.

Marller and Atsunobu shared a look before the pair leveled their eyes on Urd. "Craigslist," the pair replied immediately. "I was looking for someone to enjoy dinner tonight with and Marller responded," he explained.

"Did you bring a date?" Urd questioned Hild curiously.

"I did," she replied as she gestured at the door. The door opened as if on cue and a rather large man wearing a cowboy hat entered the room. His boots thudded forcefully on the ground as he made his way towards Hild, paused, and tipped his hat at the rest of the women at the table.

"This is my daughter Urd, her boyfriend Sousuke, and I believe you know Marller," Hild grinned as more pleasantries were exchanged and greetings made.

"Arm Slave Pilot?" Hild's date questioned as he extended his hand to Sousuke The pair shook and Sousuke gave him a curious look.

"I am, or I was. Did Hild talk to you about me?" Sousuke asked the man.

"Intelligence Officer for a United States military contractor, I can tell by your eyes," the man explained.

"How?" Tessa asked him with a strange look on her face.

"Horizontal Nystagmus of the eyes," he offered as though it were plain as day.

"That isn't scientific fact," Tessa barked back at him angrily.

"Excuse me?" Urd spoke up.

"I bet you piloted something with a Lambda Drive," the man continued to speak. "It's well known, although not proved, that Arm Slaves with wet ware connections eventually cause neurological damage that leads to bouncing in the eyes," the man explained simply. "I would guess you have activated the Lambda Drive, what, twelve to fifteen times?" he asked.

Sousuke seemed thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Sounds right," he replied. "Do you pilot as well?"

"Nope, I just work in Intelligence," the man explained. "Captain Rockwell," he finally introduced himself.

Tessa rotated to face Sousuke before squinting hard at him. She reached up, grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him close to her. She began to stare at his eye balls carefully before burping lightly in his face. Sousuke could feel his eyes sting from the scent of alcohol on her breath.

"The Lambda Driver is completely safe," Tessa barked as she released Sousuke and grew angry with the man who had sat down next to Hild.

Captain Rockwell shrugged. "We thought so too, but we now have a hard cap of twenty activations before you have to retire," he spoke. "We had a guy who hit fifty activations and had is the operative word," he continued. "You really don't want to get past twenty."

"Good thing you don't pilot any more," Urd piped up. She smiled softly at Sousuke. He smiled back at her and nodded once.

The table grew quiet as drinks were delivered and alcoholic beverage orders were taken. The waitress assured the group that Chef Sease would be with them shortly. She was correct. An older black man wearing a white chef's smock entered the room. He had graying hair and carried himself with a dignified air.

"Hello ya'll!" Chef Sease greeted the table as he gazed at the group surrounding the table. "I see some familiar faces. How you doing Hild? Things good Mr. Atsunobu? Tamiya, what is good?" the man questioned as they voiced their confirmations.

"Tonight, our menu will consist of Pumpkin Soup, prawns in white wine sauce, Korean kalbi style short ribs with kimchi, freedom fries cooked in duck fat, and chocolate mousse parfait served with coffee and milk. Every one also receives a cordial with their meal. The two drinks we have on offer are the Black Russian made with Vodka and Kahlua or an Amaretto Sour." Chef Sease broke down the meal and the offerings for the evening to the group. He gave a serious gaze around the table before inquiring, "Does any one here have any dietary restrictions or allergies I need to be cognizant of?"

The murmurs of answers in the negative filled the air as each person at the table assured the Chef of their readiness to partake in the dinner being offered.

Chef Sease began to prepare their meal, delivering plate after plate of delicious food as he entertained them in turn. "So who is this beautiful young girl?" he questioned as he gestured towards Urd with a ladle.

"That is my daughter Urd," Hild spoke up excitedly. "Don't we look alike?" Hild continued to speak as she leaned forward and smiled wide.

"Just alike!" Chef Sease replied as he continued to prepare the meal and pass plates, bowls, and other accouterments out as necessary.

As the Chef worked, Urd turned to face Hild and questioned her softly. "What brings you here tonight?"

"Happenstance," Hild replied cheerily.

Urd rolled her eyes and sulked in her seat as she stared at her mother. She knew that Hild and 'happenstance' do not mix. "You aren't here to keep Sousuke from getting his new job are you?" she pressed.

Hild smirked before lifting her glass to her lips. She drank slowly as she leveled her eyes on Sousuke. After a few moments she placed the glass down softly and turned her attention back to Urd. "Darling, I do have a stake in his choice of work, but I am far from wanting to keep him from succeeding," she replied casually.

"I knew it," Urd scowled deeper.

"You will get wrinkles," Hild warned as she gestured towards the dour expression that Urd wore.

Sousuke grew contemplative as he scooped a mouthful of soup to his lips. He turned his eyes between each of the individuals at the table as he seemed to put the pieces together. "The company is a shell for Mithril and Tessa is working with Hild on something," he spoke slowly as he made eye contact with the now attentive Tessa.

"Actually, we are doing consulting work for Hild," Tessa explained. She took another sip of her drink before grinning. "You are going to interview with a company owned by Hild, we are just assisting with the hiring process and the interview program," she continued to explain to him.

Sousuke nodded. He appeared distinctly uncomfortable with the current events.

"Hey," Tessa interrupted his thoughts. "You need to understand something, since we all know how you are about nepotism," she continued with an exasperated tone to her voice. "You chose to apply for the position and you are being measured against your own accomplishments. So get over it." Tessa huffed.

Sousuke nodded and sighed. He let his gaze travel around the table once more. Urd and Hild were discussing the finer points of magical child rearing, Tamiya was enjoying his meal, Tessa was swaying, and Marller and Atsunobu were discussing old movies. He finally met eye contact with the man known as Captain Rockwell and the pair sized each other up for several seconds.

"How is it being retired?" Rockwell inquired.

"Good," Sousuke replied with a shrug. He gestured towards Urd with his spoon before cracking a soft smile. "It has perks," he continued. "How did you know I was retired?"

"Easy guess," Rockwell replied. He adjusted his hat before jerking his chin towards Hild. "She is hard to read. I would think she was a young'en but she has a grown daughter. I have a son my self," he continued to speak.

Sousuke realized that Captain Rockwell was much older than him. Their shared experiences gave them a common ground in discussion however that made it easy to communicate.

"You should take the job," he offered Sousuke.

Sousuke felt him self involuntarily scowl.

"Look, hear me out because I have been there," Rockwell continued. "You are young, got some injuries, and are on a pension right?" He waited for a nod from Sousuke before continuing. "You need to provide for your family. There ain't no shame in taking a job doing what you know how to do for people you care about."

"True," Sousuke nodded. He turned his head slightly and caught the glimmer of teeth as Hild smirked before returning to a passive resting face.

"Take the job, get the pay check, and take care of your family. It's that easy," he finished. He pointed at Urd before smiling. "She is a pretty girl and you got a lot going for you. Don't mess it up," he finished.

Sousuke nodded. He took another slurp of his soup before another plate was shoved under his nose. Chef Sease had fallen silent in his toils as he allowed all members of the table to eat and talk amongst themselves. "Well, I still have to interview. If it goes well, I will take the job."

Rockwell reached into his pocket and passed him a business card. The nondescript slip of cardboard like paper was white with a simple phone number embossed into it with no other identifiable information. "Call me if you ever need some thing. Any friend of Hild's is a friend of mine," he explained.

Sousuke nodded once before setting his eyes on Urd again. He watched her as she cautiously questioned Hild about expectations and experiences. The pair seemed to be getting along well and Urd almost looked to be enjoying herself as she alternated between conversation and bites of the meal.

Hild spoke animatedly as she gestured at Urd, Sousuke, and sometimes just gesticulated her hands for the sheer pleasure of it. She was a very physically involved speaker and she seemed genuinely excited about every thing that Urd wanted to talk about. Sousuke wanted to thank her deeply for showing kindness even when Urd was so standoffish.

The group eventually finished their meals and Chef Sease finalized the meal by presenting each guest with a single fresh baked cookie. He smiled and exchanged pleasantries once more around the table before beginning the process of ushering them out of the kitchen. He had two more tables to finish that evening.

Sousuke stretched and smiled before placing an arm around Urd. He hugged her tightly as they made their way out of the restaurant. The group of couples continued to chat and laugh as they meandered into the parking lot. Sousuke, Urd, Hild, and Rockwell stood near the Charger as Tamiya and Tessa waved good bye. Tamiya grinned as Tessa slapped his bottom and cat called him before climbing into the passenger seat of her car.

"Good luck on your job interview tomorrow darling!" Hild gushed before hugging Sousuke tightly. She kissed his cheek before winking at Urd. "He loves you so much!" she beamed before throwing her self into the arms of her date. She feigned tears before kissing Rockwell on the cheek. "Let's go somewhere nice," she purred before waving at the pair.

Sousuke hugged Urd tightly before the pair waved back. The pair entered a rental car with an American brand emblem on the front. Rockwell was driving and Hild sat with a grin on her face in the passenger seat.

"He has no idea," Urd spoke through a smile softly at Sousuke. She chuckled before turning to him and kissing him once more. Their kiss only broken by the uncomfortable grunt of Marller who had meandered over to them.

"Get some sleep. You have a pretty rigorous interview tomorrow," she offered before reaching out to hug Urd. "We should spend an afternoon together. My treat," she spoke before wiping at her eyes. "I'm so happy for you," she stated before turning to Atsunobu and gesturing towards her car. The man smiled wide before scurrying towards the drivers door, opening it for her, and then rushing to the passenger seat with barely a wave.

"What kind of car is that?" Urd questioned Sousuke.

"A Honda," Sousuke replied.

"Like your bike?" Urd asked.

"Affirmative. The same company," he confirmed with a nod.

"It's cute," Urd replied before spotting the silver emblem on the side. "S2000," she spoke softly before turning towards the Charger. "Shall we?"

Sousuke opened the passenger door and ushered Urd inside before making his way to the drivers side and entering again. He gave her a thoughtful gaze before asking something that was on his mind. "Is it fun to be human to you?"

"Huh?" Urd replied. She seemed taken aback by the question before biting her lip softly in thought.

"Hild, Marller, and you are very special and different. Right?" Sousuke replied as Urd gave him an amused scowl. "You don't have to ride in a car or spend time with old beat up soldiers," he continued.

Urd scoffed before pressing her finger tip against her belly. "Well, I do," she smirked.

"You know what I mean," Sousuke replied with a hint of exasperation. Sometimes Urd being coy was not as fun as he would like.

"We don't see it that way. I don't," she corrected herself before continuing. "Yes, my 'world' is a bit different than yours, but really, it's the same. We have politics, love, entertainment, and food. Just like you," she smiled before patting his leg. "It just so happens that each of us is different too. Marller likes aloof boys with money who she can tease. I like a grown man with interesting quirks," she grinned and shrugged.

Sousuke smirked. The pair returned to a comfortable silence as he continued to think about her answers. He finally gathered his thoughts enough to ask another question. "What else can I do to make things better for you?"

Urd turned her head from staring out the window towards him. She reached out to stroke his hair once before allowing her gaze to grow wistful. "You are doing it. Just stay safe," she urged.

Sousuke sighed as he eventually turned off the freeway. "I am going to do what it takes to keep you safe and to protect this family. I am going to do every thing I can to get that job tomorrow," he nodded.

"You don't even know what they want yet," Urd replied.

"It doesn't matter," Sousuke replied as he felt his teeth gritting and his muscles tensing. "I need a job, this is an opportunity, and I am going to give it my all. I want to purchase you something."

Urd nodded once before reaching out to place her hand over his heart. She reached under his arm and left her hand on his chest for several seconds before withdrawing her hand and clasping them both in front of her chest. She prayed for his safety and for success in all of his desires.

After a few moments she seemed to realize what he had said and gave him a guarded look. "Purchase me what?" she questioned.

The stoic soldier flashed her a dangerous grin that pulled his features up into an almost frightful visage. "That is for me to know and for you to not discover using magic."

Urd pouted playfully in her seat as she scowled at him. "No fair," she spoke as she crossed her arms. "Maybe you won't get your special gift tonight," she continued to speak as she reached down to lightly hike her skirt up her thigh before pressing it back down.

Sousuke smiled before his expression hardened as he pulled into the driveway of their home. He was surprised to see Skuld, Belldandy, and two hooded figures standing in the foyer of the home at such a late hour. Skuld smiled wide and timidly flashed a thumbs up at him as he cut the lights on the Charger and shut down the motor.

"It's time," Urd spoke softly as she gazed out at the two figures from her spot in the passenger seat.


	10. Ah! A Goddess Ships Out!

The Collectors, Goddesses tasked with gathering the Valkyrie initiates approached the home of their next target. They both felt excitement at the opportunity to gather the sister of one of the most famous Valkyries to ever graduate from training. They alone were entrusted with escorting Skuld, sister of Belldandy. There wasn't a more exciting request that could have been presented to them.

The pair had attempted to fast travel to the location of their target, but neither could make a connection to any of the acceptable appliances in the home. They had resolved to using their teleportation capabilities to land at the precipice of the property. The crack of their arrival shook the walls and they both took a step back as a massive grinning automaton rushed towards them. The mechanical creature held it's hands up and out in a combat stance as it stared at the pair impassively.

The gentle voice of Belldandy echoed over the yard. "Down Banpei!" she cried out as she made her way out of the doorway and into the darkness. Her clothing flowed behind her as she approached the entry way, waved her hand to dispel the wards, and ushered the pair of Collectors into the yard proper. "Welcome sisters," Belldandy smiled wide at the pair.

"Valkyrie Belldandy," the pair greeted her in return as they followed the Goddess past the robot and towards the entry way to the home. Belldandy stopped several feet from the door and turned to face the hooded figures. She sighed wistfully as she gazed at the pair. "It's been a long time since I was collected for training," she laughed lightly.

"We apologize for interrupting, but we must collect Skuld," the taller Collector spoke with a slight bow towards Belldandy. The normal process of collecting a new Valkyrie recruit often included a mock kidnapping in which the Collectors would snatch that individual from where ever they were.

"I understand," Belldandy spoke before calling out over her shoulder. "Skuld, it is time!"

Skuld exited her room slowly and began to walk down the hall towards the door. She grinned nervously as she hefted a backpack over her shoulder. A bevy of butterflies crashed about inside her tummy as she shot a nervous glance back and forth between the two Collectors.

Belldandy looked towards the entrance to the yard as the Charger containing Sousuke and Urd pulled up. Her eyes shot to the nervous gesture of greeting from Skuld towards the darkened vehicle. "It's time," Belldandy spoke softly before turning to the Collectors. "May I have a moment?"

The pair nodded under their hoods once before walking several feet towards the garden. The pair stood with their backs facing the group.

Urd and Sousuke moved towards Belldandy and Skuld quickly. "Can we say good bye?" Urd questioned rapidly.

"I love you guys," Skuld felt her voice cracking as she stifled a sniffle. "It won't be long though, right?" she finished with a half hearted shrug.

"Move swiftly. Surprise them. Don't falter in your convictions." Sousuke offered before giving the little Goddess a strong hug.

"Speed. Surprise. Violence of action." Skuld grinned as she winked at Sousuke after releasing their embrace.

"I need to tell you something," Belldandy interrupted with a hushed voice. "Don't be surprised if you don't like every thing you see," she continued before leaning down to hug Skuld. "No matter what happens, no one will be upset with you," she continued to speak cryptically before pointing towards the pair of Collectors. "Go," she spoke.

Urd burst into tears before turning to hold Sousuke. She waved furiously as the trio watched Skuld adjust her pack and walk towards the pair of Collectors. "I'm ready," she spoke as she stood between them.

"Ward is down," Belldandy spoke before the three vanished without a sound.

Sousuke turned to look at Belldandy with a quizzical look on his face. "Strange pep talk?" he offered her in question.

"A Valkyrie is trained to kill the marked ones from the very start," Belldandy sighed as she gestured at her own body with her hands. "We are enemy number one in our training and I fear she may not be receptive to their attitudes," she spoke.

Sousuke nodded. "She isn't the kind of girl to take kindly to people threatening her family," he mused as he looked down at Urd.

The lithe Goddess nodded once before flipping her hair back and releasing Sousuke. "I hope she will be all right," she replied before the trio made their way into the house.

\scenebreak

Skuld inhaled sharply as she stumbled forward into the acrid scented air. The sounds of creatures snarling filled her ears the moment she touched the ground with her feet. She felt disorientated and queasy from the fast travel and the loud noises only made it worse. She attempted to shake off the disorientation but a powerful grip on her shoulder startled her.

"Run!" the voice of a female Valkyrie made her head feel like it was splitting as she jerked and stared into the face of the injured Goddess. She nearly stumbled over herself as she recoiled from her damaged visage. The Goddess appeared to have had half of her face sheared off and she suffered from massive bleeding.

"Go!" she cried out again as she pointed her arm outwards. "We are under attack from Hell!" she choked out.

Skuld followed the extended appendage with her eyes until she spotted other trainees. They too were scrambling away from the carnage. Skuld froze, she could still hear the Goddess beside her crying out and screaming at her but she didn't feel the urge to run. She felt as though something were very wrong.

"What are you waiting for? Are you stupid!?" the Goddess screamed into her ear.

Skuld turned to face her and inhaled deeply. She sniffed several times at the now silent Valkyrie. She then looked past her towards the "monsters" in the distance. She continued to smell and listen while pointedly ignoring the Valkyrie who continued to watch her.

"This isn't right. None of this is right," Skuld spoke aloud as she began to look about. The sounds of the 'battle' raging around her began to subside as the floor under her feet began to shimmer. "Those aren't demons," she whispered to herself as she began to walk towards the carnage.

Skuld couldn't see them before they were on her. A single Valkyrie erupted into her vision before gripping her and pulling her into the air. She readied herself to fight back but thought better of it as she allowed herself to go limp in the warriors arms. She winced in pain as she was slammed into the ground roughly and pinned.

"Who do you think you are recruit?" an angry voice bellowed as two more Valkyries approached her. She refrained from struggling as she looked up defiantly at the pair.

"That is Skuld," one of them spoke.

"Belldandy, her sister, must have told her about the first exercise," another spoke with frustration in her voice.

"Belldandy didn't tell me about any of this!" Skuld cried out in defense of her sister. They had never discussed the training itself, but always touched on training to prepare physically for the trials themselves.

"Silence!" the Valkyrie who had pinned her to the ground cried out into her ear.

Skuld recoiled from the Goddess who held her down with an angry look on her face. Skuld could feel the heat in her face roiling as she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

"Well, since you have taken it upon yourself to start the exercise with cheating, I think it would be best if you skipped the opening dinner and waited for the other recruits in the dorm," another Valkyrie spoke.

Skuld felt her captor release her and watched as the Goddess stood and moved back. She waited a few moments before pulling herself to her feet and glaring in the direction of the Valkyrie who had removed her feast privilege. "I can't believe I am here all of ten minutes and I am already in trouble," she thought to herself before turning and following the now mobile Valkyries.

"Belldandy is famous amongst Valkyries. She had the highest test scores in the history of the program," the leader spoke aloud as they walked. "It's a shame she betrayed you," the Goddess continued to speak.

Skuld pointedly ignored the Valkyrie.

"I hear she quit a glorious career to serve some bumble-dick on Earth as his eternal play thing," the Valkyrie spat. She cast a sideways glance at Skuld.

Skuld remained passive.

"I heard the filthy half demon in your family got her self some rug burns on her back. If we are lucky, Belldandy will redeem herself by cutting that egg out of her stomach and making it into an omelet we can feed that shit bag human of hers..." the Valkyrie allowed her voice to trail off as she noticed Skuld freeze in mid stride.

Skuld felt her vision fading in and out of focus as she struggled to look anywhere but the Valkyrie team leader before her. "It's just a test..." Skuld chanted under her breath as she struggled to keep walking.

"Something wrong? Don't tell me you have any feelings for that walking garbage dump you call a sister..." the Valkyrie continued to prod as she turned and approached Skuld. The Goddess bent at the waist and pressed her nose against Skulds before allowing her metal crown to bite painfully into her forehead. "Tell me I am wrong then. Give me one reason to have you flayed and expelled," she growled before grunting challengingly at the diminutive Goddess.

Skuld fought to remain passive as she stared straight ahead.

"You think that you are better than this because your looser sister told you some of our secrets?" the Valkyrie questioned as she began to twist her face back and forth allowing the metal crown she wore to dig deeper into the flesh on Skuld's forehead.

Skuld grit her teeth.

After several more tense seconds the Valkyrie turned on her heels and snapped her fingers. The war zone around them completely faded from vision. Skuld admired the technological prowess that the training room demonstrated as she noticed the intricacies of the system. "No scent," she whispered to herself as they continued to walk.

After several minutes of walking through the cold and metallic training chambers they reached a hallway filled with two rows of doors. "You will be in training team seven," the Valkyrie spoke with a hint of malefic mirth. "Enjoy your stay," she finished with a grin before waving her hand and stepping back as the door opened.

Skuld entered the room wordlessly. She suspected it, like the rest of the academy would not respect the normal laws of physics. "It's bigger on the inside," she whispered to herself. She froze in the doorway for a moment to look out amongst the bay she had been assigned. The room was a massive hallway with two rows of bunk beds lining either side.

Skuld spotted two separate doors beyond the one she had entered. She opened one to discover a large stall of latrines. The second door didn't budge under her touch. She followed the left wall past rows of bunks before arbitrarily deciding on one to be hers. The moment she sat on the bed her belongings appeared and clattered to the floor in front of a large metal cabinet that she assumed was also hers.

"What the hell was I thinking?" she wondered aloud as the oppressive silence of the room beat down on her. She cast a nervous sidelong glance about the immediate area for several seconds before rising from the bed and approaching her pile of stuff. She opened the cabinet and began to put away her things.

Skuld felt like it had been hours before the door she entered from opened and a single file of young women filed into the room. She made eye contact with one of them who gave her a quizzical look but no one spoke a word as they marched to their place behind each bed in turn.

"All right you lot, you just earned yourself a chance to be a part of the roughest group of Valkyries in Heaven. We are the Battle Bitches and if you want to earn the right to call your self one, you are going to keep your head in the game. If you don't, I reserve the right to cut you down," a booming voice echoed out over the group.

Skuld moved from her bed to stand beside her locker at attention. She realized that not all of the members of the Valkyries were Goddesses. She noticed several Elves, Fairies, and other fey amongst the rabble of wanna be warriors.

Skuld failed to notice the slowly approaching Valkyrie team leader. She continued to speak as she laid eyes on Skuld and narrowed her lids to slits. "I am Valkyrie Antoinette and will be turning you away from a life of soft and doughy weakness," her voice trailed off as she stopped to stand in front of the preoccupied Skuld.

Skuld snapped her eyes to Valkyrie Antoinette and studied her features for a moment. She was an Elven women with beautiful thick golden hair pulled into a bun, thick and full lips, and cold pale skin. She was the epitome of Elven beauty. Her speech and mannerisms were completely antagonistic to her beautiful airs.

"What is your malfunction trainee?" she bellowed into Skuld's face. "Do you think you are exempt from paying attention because you decided to cheat during the on boarding test?"

Skuld felt her face flush as she noticed the glances from the other trainees in her peripheral vision. She bit her tongue and refused to answer as she stared defiantly into the eyes of Valkyrie Antoinette.

"You think you are tough? You want to try your hand at fighting a combat veteran?" Valkyrie Antoinette continued to egg her on as she leaned closer. Her breathe, like that of most Elven women, smelled of flowers and forest and it tingled Skuld's nose.

Skuld remained silent.

"Answer me!" the Valkyrie screamed again.

"No ma'am!" Skuld replied.

"You don't look like you really mean that," she whispered dangerously into Skuld's ear. "Give me one shot at kicking the shit out of Belldandy's sister. Please," she urged.

Skuld felt her anger bubble over as she whispered softly into the Valkyries ear, "Your breath smells like you have been blowing treants..."

The Valkyrie scowled before pursing her lips and blowing softly on Skuld's cheek. "You just painted a target on your back," Antoinette replied before leaning back and turning to the group. "Every one, push up position. Skuld, you stand and count cadence," she spoke.

Skuld felt every eye in the bay turn on her as the women slowly lowered themselves to push up position.

"Start counting," the Valkyrie commanded.

Skuld bellowed out cadence until the trainees had completed fifty push ups. She could feel the anger ebbing through the group and the side ways glances being cast her way as the trainees finally returned to a standing position.

"Every time trainee Skuld here fucks up, you all are going to do her push ups for her," Antoinette spoke. "Every time I feel like trainee Skuld isn't pulling her weight, is falling behind, or is giving me a particularly ugly look... Well, she always looks ugly, you are all going to do push ups," she continued. "Give me five more because Skuld is ugly," she commanded.

Again the trainees dropped before completing their push ups and returning to their feet. "Go to sleep," the Valkyrie commanded before pulling an about face and making her way down the center of the bay. She scowled furiously as she stomped on the center line of the bay. She eventually made it to the door and paused for a moment.

"In the morning you all will wake, clean, polish the center line of the bay, and then we will have physical training and if you are lucky, you will get to shower," she finished speaking before pointing at a trainee near the door. "You have first fire watch, read your manual if you don't know what to do," she finally finished before exiting the room.

"Hey," one of the trainees spoke the moment the door closed. Skuld turned in the darkness to stare in the direction of the voice. "Thanks for that you stupid bitch," the woman growled in the darkness. Several other voices joined in to berate her with names and curses before the group finally quited down enough to climb into their respective beds.

Skuld fought the urge to sigh in the darkness as she listened to the grumbles of the other trainees within the bay. She felt no particular urge to sleep as many continued to curse her name under their breath. The itchy woolen blanket that scratched against her chin annoyed her, the sounds of the other trainees and their complaints annoyed her, and the feeling of helplessness annoyed her.

Skuld finally fell into a fitful sleep.

\scenebreak

Sousuke awoke feeling like death as was typical. He felt a dull ache down his neck and into his shoulder blades that left him clenching his teeth the moment he awoke. He reached out with his hand in the dark and felt around for Urd but was surprised to discover she was not in bed with him. He rolled over onto his stomach and pressed firmly with his right hand down into the floor before pulling himself up to his knees and finally to a standing position.

He swayed unsteadily as he consciously worked to relax his jaw and release the tension in his muscles. Sousuke could hear movement from down the hall and made the assumption that Urd, Belldandy, or Keiichi were up and about. He walked with a hunch in his back as he made the way to the bathroom and began the process of preparing for his interview. He spent his time carefully grooming as he hobbled around until his body loosened enough to operate at full capacity.

Eventually he made his way to the kitchen where he discovered Urd packing a bag for him. She had laid out a feast for breakfast that included fried eggs, bacon, miso soup, toast, and sausage. She had also created home made oatmeal bars filled with nuts, honey, and an assortment of jerky and a few other nonperishable foods. "You keep this bag on you at all times," she spoke as she gestured at the leather satchel.

"Am I going to war?" Sousuke questioned her with a grin as he moved into the kitchen and stole a kiss on her cheek. "I thought this was a job interview," he stated as he plucked a bacon strip up and began to chew it rapidly.

Urd looked at him with masked worry as she finished closing the sack. "I don't know if this interview is going to be anything like a real demon interview, but if it is, you are going to need to stay well fed and energized," she spoke hurriedly before placing both hands on the table in front of her self. Her shoulders surged up and down for a moment before she rolled her eyes and sighed violently. "I hate this. I want to summon you things and I cant," she growled as she stared at him.

"It's going to be fine," Sousuke spoke to her reassuringly. "I appreciate every thing you are doing for me here," he continued to speak as he sat at the table and began to eat every thing on his plate. He smiled at her between bites.

Urd shook her head back and forth as she squinted at him in annoyance. "You should be careful. Don't get hurt, and watch your seven," she spoke again.

"My six?" Sousuke inquired through a mouthful of egg.

"All the clock. Watch the whole clock! Every direction, all right?" Urd snapped back exasperatedly.

Sousuke couldn't help but smile as he watched her fuss. "It's a job interview Urd. I'm not going to the Balkans," he spoke before scratching at his face. He felt his entire body jerk as he flashed back to his time in the Volga-Urals. He spilled the food on his fork back onto his plate before returning to eat as though nothing had occurred.

Urd breathed deep before shaking her head in the negative. "I packed every thing I thought you might need in this bag. Don't you dare forget it," she ordered.

"Ma'am," Sousuke replied as he lifted his left hand to his forehead and snapped her a salute. It wasn't long before he was carrying the leather satchel out to the Charger with a very worried Urd in tow. She fussed with his hair as she followed him.

"I love you. You can leave if anything seems weird. You can get another job," she babbled as she watched him place the satchel in the front seat of the vehicle. He used the seatbelt to secure the leather bag into the passenger seat before turning to point at the bag.

"Cargo secured," he spoke to her before opening his arms and beckoning her to him. "Every thing will be fine," he tried to assure her.

"You come home safe," Urd demanded before leaning in to kiss him deeply. "I am so nervous," she grumbled.

"It'll be fine," Sousuke spoke once more before releasing her and motioning for her to return to the home. "I'll call you on my radio when I know what happened," he replied.

Urd reached into the pocket of her pajama pants she wore and withdrew her radio as well. "I will have this with me all day," she replied.

Sousuke entered the Charger and belted himself in before rolling down the window and waving at Urd as he backed the vehicle out of the yard and onto the street. He lost sight of her almost immediately as he brought the window back up and made his way to the appointed location for his interview. The farther he drove from Urd the more his stomach churned as his nerves began to fray.

His trip was uneventful but he was surprised when he noticed several men in suits mulling around the front of the building. He parked his vehicle and drew the satchel into his lap before exiting the vehicle and approaching the group. The stature of the men revealed their militaristic heritage.

"Yo," one of the men greeted him as he lifted a single hand to wave back. "Interview?" the man questioned him.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied as he adjusted the leather bag on his shoulder. He wondered why it was so heavy.

"Nice purse," another man spoke before patting his own bag. The lanky man grinned dangerously at Sousuke.

"Same to you," Sousuke replied before finally allowing his curiosity to get the best of him. He approached a bench and sat the bag down before opening it and peering inside.

"Something wrong?" the man with the bag questioned him as he approached.

"Negative," Sousuke shook his head before reaching into the bag and withdrawing a massive butcher knife. He quickly placed it back into the bag before realizing that Urd had also placed a P$90$ magazine, two more knives, a sharpening stone, and an assortment of plastic tubs full of food into the bag.

The man next to him peered inside and then at Sousuke before raising his eye brows at him appraisingly. "Expecting trouble?" he questioned him.

"My girlfriend packed my lunch," Sousuke replied.

"I like your girlfriend," the man replied before holding both thumbs up with a grin.

"Me too," Sousuke replied before shaking his head and closing the leather bag.

The group eventually fell into boisterous conversation about daring do that each had experienced. Sousuke discussed his time fighting in Afghanistan while another rambled on about his time at the School of the Americas and his eventual assignment to South America. Each took turns revealing tidbits of their past while constantly one upping each other. One of the men even bragged about befriending a monkey in the jungles of South East Asia.

It didn't take long before the group of men were ushered into the building as the doors slid open. Sousuke felt the urge to walk backwards as he followed the men into the room. He remembered his time as a soldier and felt excited to have the opportunity to return to working in a field he had always known.

"Greetings," a familiar voice echoed over the parlor. "My name is Marller and this is Tessa," the demoness spoke.

"Holy shit, that is the broad that runs Mithril," a voice whispered amongst the ranks.

"My name is Lind," spoke the Goddess before shooting a withering glare towards Sousuke. Several of the applicants caught her look and immediately cast their eyes on Sousuke.

"We will be conducting interviews today for the position of Military Adviser. All tests today will be practical in nature and we plan to have an answer for all of you by the end of today," Tessa spoke aloud.

Sousuke scratched at his cheek before digesting their outfits. Tessa, Lind, and Marller each wore black uniform pants, combat boots, and battle dress uniform tops. The uniforms were devoid of any insignia.

"The first test will be a marksmanship test," Lind spoke before gesturing towards a door.

Sousuke followed the group in single file into the room. He discovered a nondescript shooting range with enough stalls for each of the interviewees to have their own station. He chose one and approached the metal table before gazing out into the hundred yard shooting lane before him.

"Please open the box located next to your right leg," Tessa command as she walked down the line. "Inside you will find a weapon, ammunition, magazines, and hearing protection."

Sousuke could hear several relieved sighs as each warrior began to withdraw their weapon of choice. He felt the odd desire to chuckle as he took a deep breath and wondered what weapon he would find inside his box. He reached down slowly, unlatched the box, and opened it.

Sousuke grinned as he hefted a pair of muffs up and placed them over his neck. He then withdrew three loaded magazines and a box of $5.7x28$mm ammunition. Finally he hefted a FN Herstal handgun up. The magazines had extenders on the bottom that increased their capacity to thirty rounds while providing only a half inch additional overhang from the magazine well of the weapon.

"You will be provided with targets and you are expected to engage them as appropriate," Marller jumped into the conversation as she pointed down range. "You will be judged on accuracy, speed, and confidence," she finished explaining as several shooters grew confused looks on their face.

"Please load your magazines, cylinders, or clips as appropriate," Tessa commanded. "Ready on the firing line," she stated. "Shooters, assume a comfortable firing position."

Sousuke grimaced as he noticed the man next to him hefting an Obrez with a maniacal grin. The sawed off Mosin Nagant rifle looked dangerous in profile.

"The firing line is ready," Lind shouted after observing all of the shooters taking their position of choice. She stared at Sousuke as he held a 'sul' position with the FN clutched in his hands.

"Commence firing when your targets appear," Tessa commanded as she slipped her head phones on over her ears.

Sousuke bent at the knees and steadied himself as he waited for his first target to appear. He nearly choked when a perfect visage of Urd holding a heavy staff covered in gems over her head appeared in his firing line. He gaped as the sounds of the firing line erupted. Numerous copies of Urd crumpled up and down the line under a hail of gunfire.

After several seconds a loud tone rang out from above Sousuke and the image of Urd vanished. Sousuke contemplated tossing his weapon onto the table and simply leaving the room but his morbid curiosity got the better of him.

A few moments later a Goddess with her hands up and a look of concentration on her face appeared at the fifty yard mark. Sousuke could make out the look on her face that revealed spell casting and he immediately thrust his pistol forward before firing three rounds in rapid succession. He performed a reverse failure drill in which he placed two rounds directly into her pelvis before allowing the recoil of the weapon to carry his final shot to the center mass of the target.

Sousuke scanned his sector with a rapid jerk of his head in either direction before realizing he was the only one who had fired a weapon. Several shooters on the range turned to look at him with quizzical looks. He then returned his weapon to position 'Sul'. Numerous buzzers erupted up and down the line.

The next target urged the firing line into an eruption of fire. Sousuke grit his teeth as the Obrez in the line next to him belched a four foot long blast of flame as the unburned powder from the $7.62x54$R round flicked at the target. The target this time was an oddly shaped Demon that Sousuke recognized from the battle of Hell. It looked like a mount that some of the creatures had rode. Sousuke held his fire. The warning tone blared from his table area again.

Sousuke again felt the urge to rage as Urd in her demon form appeared on the line. He simply stared as he grew annoyed at the sound of gunfire from the other lines. He raged at the thought of these men taking pot shots at a picture of his beloved. He snapped instantly into action the moment that a Goddess with her wings extended appeared behind Urd.

Sousuke once more thrust the weapon forward before squeezing into the trigger rapidly. He fired ten rounds into the face and head of the exposed Goddess target from over the shoulder of Urd. He heard the obnoxious buzz over his head again.

The final target was Hild. Sousuke cocked his head as her image appeared covered in the regalia of riches she normally wore. No one fired a round as the men stared at the beautiful woman before them. After several seconds she transformed as black leathery wings sprouted from her back and her normally passive expression was replaced with an angry scowl. Sousuke held his fire as the line once more spat rounds down range. The buzzing tone announced his failure to fire once more.

Tessa began to call out, "Cease fire! Cease fire!" She walked the firing line as she continued to bark commands. "Shooters, make safe! Unload your weapon, decock as appropriate, and replace your weapon in the box!"

Sousuke actuated the thumb release on the magazine and allowed the hard plastic implement to drop into his free hand. He placed it in the box before turning the weapon sideways and racking the slide swiftly. The unspent round popped upwards and he quickly snatched the round out of the air before dropping it in the box. He racked the slide several more times before pointing the weapon down range and pulling the trigger. The weapon clicked as the firing pin tension released. He then activated the safety and replaced the weapon in the box. Within moments he had completely cleared his table of any evidence of shooting.

"How lucky," the man next to Sousuke spoke in his direction with a grin. "I was worried I would get a bum weapon, but when I got the Mosin Nagant, I was so happy."

Sousuke flashed him a nod in agreement. He was sure that every shooter had been provided with their favorite handgun through magical means and not luck.

"Any problems shooter?" Tessa inquired as she stopped behind Sousuke. She motioned up at the red lights flashing above his stall with her finger.

Sousuke looked up and realized only his box was announcing some sort of message to the ones providing him with his test. "I only fired on the individuals I felt were a threat," Sousuke replied.

"Monsters and demons aren't a threat?" Tessa inquired as the sound of snickering and laughter down the line filled the air with a heavy uncomfortable weight.

"Not to me," Sousuke replied calmly.

Tessa lifted her eye brows and nodded once before turning on her heels. She made her way to the door before turning back on the crowd. "Leave the ear muffs here and follow me to the next test," she spoke loud and clear.

Sousuke reached into his pocket and lifted a home made oatmeal bar wrapped in saran out. He noticed one of the other soldiers eye balling the meal in his hand. He bent the bar until it snapped before unwrapping the end and proffering it to the gentleman. He remained passive as the man reached out, plucked the piece, and then broke that in half before passing it to another.

Sousuke felt the urge to laugh as he popped his piece into his mouth. Several of the other soldiers stared in his direction with looks of mixed horror and jealousy as he began to chew the sweet and salty concoction.

"Did you bring enough for every one?" Marller asked him with a sardonic tinge to her questioning.

"I did," Sousuke replied before reaching into his bag and hefting a brick of the oatmeal, nut, and honey mixture. "I would estimate I have about two pounds of this stuff," he continued before extending the brick out towards Marller.

Marller shook her head before holding up a hand to ward off the calorie dense meal Sousuke held out before himself. She wordlessly moved to the front of the line of men before opening a door and ushering the group inside.

"I lied," Tessa spoke aloud. She grinned as she pointed at numerous chairs and tables. "You will be taking a written test," she continued to speak as the men shuffled towards their choice of seat. Each table had a single stack of documents.

"Ma'am, will writing implements be provided?" one of the men questioned.

"No," Lind replied for her from the back of the room. "Any one who does not finish the test will be disqualified from the process."

Sousuke looked around the room at several nervous looking faces before lifting his satchel up into his lap. He rummaged around inside before withdrawing an assortment of writing utensils. He also grabbed a brick of energy food. He stood and made his way to the front of the room before placing the handful of pens and pencils on the table. He thought for a moment before unwrapping the brick and placing it next to the pile.

"No man left behind," Sousuke spoke as he made his way back to his seat. He watched as numerous soldiers made their way to the implements, grabbed a pen or pencil, and then cut themselves off a piece of the food. Sousuke stole a glance at Tessa, Lind, and Marller. He felt the urge to laugh as Lind seethed as Marller and Tessa both winked at him approvingly.

Sousuke reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a pen that he had reserved for himself. He looked down at his test and began to read the questions. He wondered how absurd some of the other soldiers thought the questions were. His favorites included "How would you augment a highly manueverable phalanx of close quarter combat soldiers with Arm Slave technology?" or "How would you deploy an air born weapons platform capable of delivering high temperature munitions against infantry in a danger close situation?"

Sousuke almost allowed his frustration at the questions to over take him before he realized the point of the exercise. He knew they were attempting to frustrate him on purpose in order to explore his limits. They didn't care about the answers in terms of effectiveness but in his willingness to play the game. It had been a while since he had participated in an exercise like this.

He finished his test after several hours of grueling hand writing. Without further instruction he rose his hand and gestured for Marller to approach him. Lind interrupted her with a tap on the shoulder and interjected herself in place of the Demoness.

"Yes?" Lind growled low.

"I have accomplished the assigned test. Your orders? Ma'am," Sousuke offered in reply.

Lind reached out and took the paper before announcing to the class. "Leave your document on the front table when you have finished the assignment." She walked back to her place where she had stood next to Tessa and Marller while keeping her nose keenly buried in the document Sousuke finished.

The wait for the rest of the soldiers to accomplish their test was short as the pile on the front table grew exponentially with each completion of the assignment.

"Your final assignment will be another practical exam. We will be using sensory augmentation hardware to place each of you in a custom designed mental evaluation. The technology is safe and will provide no lingering discomfort after successful completion of the exercise. We will be taking you one at a time to use the 'machine', so please be patient during this time," Tessa explained as she gestured to one of the soldiers and began the process of removing them from the room one at a time.

Sousuke leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes as he crossed his arms. He began to slumber lightly as he awaited his turn. He could sense through his softly lidded eyes that several other soldiers had joined him in catching some sleep before their exercise. The wait was much quicker as he was finally summoned by Marller.

Marller was wordless until they entered a room with a chair and a bad mockery of an Arm Slave wet ware hook up near by. "No need to bull shit you," Marller spoke as she waved her hand. "We will be using a spell to place you in a special situation. It's up to you to do what you think is right," she continued.

Sousuke nodded before moving to the chair. He sat and nodded one last time.

"Good luck," Marller replied before snapping her fingers. She watched as Sousuke fell limp in the chair, his head lolling to the side as the spell took hold.

"This is it," Marller spoke aloud as Hild stepped out of a corner in the room. She took several slow and methodical steps around the soldier as she appraised him before turning to face the wall.

"Let's see," Hild stated as she gestured at the wall. A projection of Sousuke's inner mind appeared on the wall. Marller and Hild began to watch in rapt attention.

Sousuke felt his senses dull in a haze as he attempted to shake off the sluggish and cold feeling that crushed in on him. He felt his heart begin to race as his left arm ached and he an unreasonable fear of suddenly dieing took hold of him. He took several deep breathes until the scene around him began to coalesce and become visible.

He wondered where he was as he looked about the room. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep the night before with Urd beside him. He knew something important was afoot but he couldn't place his finger on it. "Why am I standing here?" he wondered aloud as he began to eye ball his surroundings.

Sousuke caught movement from the corner of his eye and spun to lock eyes on a small woman. He scowled as he felt his muscles tense and his back to curve involuntarily. He was ready for a fight.

"Sir, the Princess is waiting for you," the woman spoke fearfully. Her eyes were gold flecked slits similar to Marller but her angled features and long nose were distinctly her own. She trembled slightly before looking down to the ground and bowing deep. "Is there something the Master needs?" she asked fearfully.

Sousuke continued to stare at her. He felt a fleeting thought that danced just out of reach and he wondered again why he was where he was. "Tell me, what day is today?" he asked the demon.

"Today is the Birkat of your child, who will one day rule over all of Hell, Heaven, and Earth," the demon woman offered immediately. She bowed her head and clasped her hands together before allowing an incantation to escape her lips. She rapidly prayed for the health and safety of the child.

Sousuke blinked before looking down at his clothing. He was covered in a heavy gown of black, gold, and purple thread and fabric. Symbols covered the arms of the vestments and intricate embroidery accented the rest. He held his arms up and reviewed the outfit for a moment before inquiring with the demon. "Can you summon?" he asked her.

"Anything the Master requires," she replied hastily. She appeared to be growing more nervous by the moment. "Perhaps we should join the Princess and our Queen Mother?" she spoke slowly.

"Summon me a P$90$ with a chest sling," Sousuke demanded before holding out his hand.

The demon snapped her fingers and Sousuke found the heft of the weapon in his hand. He lifted his robes and snapped the black straps around his neck and chest before allowing the weapon to hang down the center line of his body. He mussed the robes about until the weapon outline was invisible under the thick folds of clothe. "You tell no one," he ordered.

"Sir," the demon bowed before gesturing to the door. "The Princess does not like to wait," she spoke softly.

Sousuke smirked before making the way to the door. He swung it open and bright light scrambled his senses like a concussion grenade as he stumbled softly. The moment he regained his faculties he found himself standing next to Urd. She held a bundle of beautifully decorated blankets close to her chest with an ecstatic grin on her face.

Sousuke felt momentarily nauseous as he tried to understand how he had arrived next to Urd. He wondered if he was ill or loosing his mind. "Urd," he whispered softly. He caught her eyes with his as she snapped to face him with a look of concern on her face.

"Are you all right?" she whispered back. Her brow furrowed as she looked him up and down. "You are sweating really bad, nervous?" she asked with a giggle. "It'll be all over soon," she assured him.

Sousuke looked about the room. Hild stood at the end of a fifty yard long strip of purple that was one of the most exquisite rugs Sousuke had ever stepped foot on. He could see rows and rows of watchers craning for their opportunity to see the pair when they exited the hallway they currently stood in.

"So many people, is this all right?" Sousuke asked as he began to notice the Trolls, Demons, and Goblins who mulled about in the crowd. He reached up with his right hand to gently stroke the frame of his carbine under the robes subconsciously. "Is this safe?" he inquired of her.

Urd shook her head before lifting and gently rocking the bundle of blankets in her arms. "It will be fine," she replied before taking a deep breath. She raised her eyes brows at him before nudging her chin out towards the exit. "It's show time," she spoke before calming her features and starting a slow and methodical walk towards Hild.

Sousuke felt his flight or fight response pegging as his hands grew cold. He felt a shiver up his spine as every thing he looked at felt magnified and more intense. He drew both his arms into the robes as he walked slowly next to Urd. He allowed his attention to sway back and forth down the line of people beside him. "This is a kill funnel," he thought to himself as his hands began to shake. The adrenaline in his body made him want to urinate.

They had only walked for a few seconds before a commotion in the crowd erupted to the right. He watched as though it happened in slow motion as a single cylindrical object sailed through the air towards them. Sousuke screamed as he pivoted before tossing the robes up and over his shoulder. He hefted the rifle up and tried to scan the crowd.

The sounds of an explosion and a flash rocked Sousuke as the screams of those watching the procession began to fill the air. "Urd!" Sousuke cried out before turning his head to look for her. He felt as though he had been struck with a hammer as another explosion rang out and he collided with the ground. He could see injured and dead all around him as he blinked several times in the haze.

"Sousuke!" the sound of his name being yelled pulled him to his senses. He tried to push his hands out but he only lifted half of his body. He was disorientated but eventually he pulled himself to his feet unsteadily. "Urd?!" Sousuke cried out in reply as he looked down at his shredded left arm and the blood pool he was leaking on the floor.

"Sousuke!" Urd replied like a macabre game of Marco Polo in the carnage. Her voice was high and ragged.

Sousuke stepped over the bodies of several demons before spotting a Valkyrie clad in armor snaking through the smoke and commotion. He pressed himself to hurry forward as he realized the Goddess was headed in the direction of Urd's screams.

Urd had drawn herself to her knees. She clutched the bundle in her arms as a steady stream of blood dripped down her face. She held one eye shut as she looked about frantically. She could sense movement through her scratched lenses as she held her chin up and tried to peer through the darkness that her wounded eyes cast on every thing around her. "Sousuke! I can't see!" she cried out.

"Urd, I'm here!" Sousuke cried out as he stumbled towards her. "I'm coming!" he yelled as he caught sight of her. She was surrounded by the crumpled bodies of those who had been closest to the blast. Their destroyed bodies having taken the brunt of the explosion, it left Urd injured but alive.

"Help us!" Urd cried out again as she tried to touch the baby in her arms with her finger tips. She choked as she tried to lift the silent child to her head in order to listen for any sign of life. "Sousuke!" she continued to scream.

Sousuke fell silent as he stared across the carnage at his Goddess. Urd was still on her knees as an armored Valkyrie stood behind her clutching a spear in her hands. She gazed towards Sousuke before lifting the weapon and thrusting the bladed tip through the back of Urd's head. The cinnamon skinned Goddess jerked as her eyes snapped wide open. The glowing point of the weapon erupted from between her teeth.

Sousuke felt numb. He didn't move as he watched Urd's arms go limp and the bundle of blankets tumble down her chest before sliding off of her knees onto the floor. The Valkyrie yanked the weapon back before hefting the spear up again. She aimed it towards the baby but froze as Sousuke hefted the P$90$ in one hand and aimed it at her.

"Sousuke," the voice of Belldandy cut the air. He never moved as the Valkyrie and he continued to stare at each other. "Put down the weapon Sousuke," Belldandy continued to speak as she entered his peripheral vision holding Hild by the hair with a sword to her neck.

Sousuke allowed his eyes to flicker towards Belldandy and Hild before looking back at the Valkyrie who had killed Urd. He felt his vision fading in and out as he continued to loose blood from his wounded arm. His entire body felt cold and detached as though he were watching a movie of the scene before him instead of living it.

"Make a choice Sousuke!" Hild cried out before falling silent as Belldandy shook her head by her hair.

Sousuke didn't hesitate. He fired three rounds from his carbine and they collided with the forehead of the Valkyrie who threatened the child. He tried to ride the recoil sideways as he began to sight the weapon on Belldandy. He was not fast enough as Belldandy cleanly severed Hild's head from her shoulders. Sousuke made eye contact with Belldandy and a few moments passed in silence before she nodded at him.

Sousuke squeezed the trigger and began to stagger towards her. The weapon ripped through the magazine as round after round collided with Belldandy. She stumbled backwards as a six inch diameter shot grouping consisting of more than twenty rounds ripped through her chest armor and left her slumping to the ground in a heap.

Sousuke approached her slowly, sighted the weapon on the back of her head, and unloaded the rest of the magazine into her skull. The floor sparked and cracked as he transformed the once beautiful Goddess into a stain on the floor of the castle they stood in. He dropped to his knees and placed the barrel on the weapon on the floor as he placed his weight on the stock of the carbine. He actuated the magazine release and tossed the empty one before withdrawing a full one from his chest holster with one hand. After replacing the magazine he used his one good arm to yank the charging handle back, racking a round into the chamber, before standing and leaving the weapon to dangle on his chest.

Sousuke rushed towards Urd and knelt beside the baby. He drew the blankets back to discover that the child was mostly unharmed from her looks. He stared down at the tiny child and felt his eyes fill with tears. He covered the child in the blankets before hefting her up and tucking the child in close to his body like a football with his good arm.

"We gotta go sweet heart," he spoke as he looked down at the back of Urd's head. He felt hate and anger welling up in his body before he turned and began to hurry back towards the entrance. The smoke in the room had begun to clear and he watched as a bevy of demons began to flood into the room. His eyes grew blurry and he began to stumbled.

"Sousuke!" Marller called out to him as she fought to push him back into the chair. He was flailing his arms and screaming at the top of his lungs as he returned to the physical realm. "Calm down! It's over!" she cried out as she leaned her weight into keeping him seated.

"DIE!" Sousuke cried out as he slammed his fist into Marller. His wrist crumpled against her ribs as he began to regain consciousness. "What happened?" he demanded to know. He held his hand up and looked down at his broken wrist before turning to face Hild.

"Sousuke," Hild spoke softly to him. She held an impassive gaze as she cocked her head. "What happened indeed?"

"I failed," Sousuke replied as he finally regained his faculties. He placed his left hand on Marller's shoulder and patted her. She released him almost instantly and Sousuke stood. "I failed," he replied sadly as he cradled his arm up and held it against his body. He could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his body as tears slowly leaked from his eyes.

Hild simply stared at him.

"I'll pack my things and go," Sousuke stated softly as he began to walk towards the door.

"Why do you think you failed?" Hild interrupted him.

"I let you die, I let Urd die," Sousuke replied. He was shaking.

"You saved the child," Hild replied with a passive gaze.

"What is her name?" Sousuke asked softly.

"You tell me," Hild replied with a smirk. She moved slowly into the light proper. Her eyes shone with tears as she held out her arms and embraced Sousuke. "You chose the right person to save," she whispered.

Sousuke broke into sobs as he clutched at Hild. "I can't watch her die. Never again," Sousuke gasped through gulps of air and thick tears that choked him. "Please, never again," he pleaded with Hild.

"Never again," Hild reassured him as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She held him tightly as he broke down. "It can be an intense test," she continued to whisper.

Marller approached a small desk in the corner of the room and lifted a clipboard. She withdrew a pen from her breast pocket before checking off the box that indicated "Pass" under final practical exam. "Welcome to Hell," she spoke to herself before looking towards the pair embraced under the harsh lights of the room.


	11. Ah! A Goddess Looses It All?

Skuld woke suddenly. Every muscle in her body screamed out for her to move and she instantly rocketed upwards out of the bed, twisted her body in mid air, and landed with a ground shaking thud in a crouch behind two young women who were floating near her bed with buckets of water. "Good morning," she hissed between her teeth at the pair.

"Good morning bitch," the taller one spoke. She was a Goddess with shoulder length brown hair and a long angular nose. She flashed her perfectly straight teeth at Skuld. "We were just going to help you wake up," she snickered before emptying the contents of the bucket on the bed that previously held Skuld. "Oops," she whispered dramatically before placing a hand over her lips and raising her eyebrows.

Skuld narrowed her eyes at the second woman, a fairy, who immediately shrunk under the withering gaze. The fairy seemed to have no interest in building any additional animosity as she slunk away in the direction of the bathroom with her bucket in hand.

"Good morning ladies!" the booming voice of Valkyrie Antoinette filled the bay as the rest of the trainees began to mull about. "What is this shit?" she immediately shrieked as she rapidly advanced on the two squared off Goddesses.

"Ma'am!" The Goddess who had soaked Skuld's bed snapped to attention before flashing a worried look across her face. "I was attempting to help trainee Skuld since she had a little accident in her bed," she offered sweetly.

Skuld noticed immediately that the Goddess had no facial markings to denote her rank in the Goddess hierarchy and that meant she could still lie. She was livid.

"Accident?" Valkyrie Antoinette screamed. The activity in the bay seemed to screech to a halt as every eye turned on Skuld. "Well, it's a good thing that trainee Skuld has someone so willing to assist her," she continued.

Skuld glared in silence. She contemplated protesting but refrained under the assumption that Valkyrie Antoinette was not stupid enough to believe the ridiculous story proffered by her new found enemies.

"Answer me stupid," Valkyrie Antoinette leaned forward into Skuld's personal space and rained spittle on her face.

Skuld felt tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to punch and kick every person in the room. She felt helpless, depressed, and absolutely alone in the sea of trainees who seemed to have targeted her as an enemy. "There was no accident," Skuld finally replied.

"Then it must have been on purpose," Antoinette replied with a scathing smirk. She drew her eyes into slits as she turned on her heels to face the onlooking trainees. "Looks like Trainee Skuld has decided to act out and that means all of you will be doing push ups!" she shouted unnecessarily.

Skuld briefly glanced at the other trainees who were glaring at her dangerously in turn. She clenched her fists.

"Call it out trainee, or are you too stupid to count?" Antoinette shouted over her shoulder as she surveyed the rest of the trainees.

"You know I didn't piss my bed," Skuld growled between her teeth. She flexed her fists rapidly as she stared at the Valkyrie.

"Excuse me?" Antoinette questioned as she turned slowly to face Skuld. "Are you addressing me trainee?" she spoke softly. The Valkyrie scowled at her with barely suppressed malice.

"Yes," Skuld paused before sucking air between her teeth and exhaling her words with a hiss. "Ma'am," she finished as she felt a sensation like ice cubes slipping down the inside of her chest. The tiny Goddess felt the urge to vomit as she forced herself to address the Valkyrie with respect.

Valkyrie Antoinette approached Skuld until she was well within her personal space. The elven woman grinned as she cocked her head and stared into Skuld's eyes. "Are you having a malfunction?" she asked as her face grew closer to Skuld's, the pair seemed to be playing a game of chicken to determine who would relent first.

"I didn't have an accident," Skuld repeated.

"Are you saying someone else did?" Antoinette asked. "Are you a snitch now too?" she questioned.

"I'm not a snitch," Skuld felt her face aching as her heart raced in her chest.

"Might as well be!" Antoinette hollered out as she gestured towards the rest of the trainees. "You are a liar, a cheat, and you don't seem to have any guts either." the Valkyrie continued to holler as she began to poke Skuld in the chest directly between her breasts with her index finger.

Skuld took measured breathes as she stared back defiantly.

"Don't get me started on your sisters," Antoinette leaned back as she threw her hands up dramatically before whirling around and walking towards the center of the room. She laughed as she began to shake her head. "Does every one here know who Skuld's sisters are?"

Some of the trainees in the room began to give her sad and worried looks. She ignored them pointedly as she felt her face growing in heat. She wondered if it was possible for a Goddess to spontaneously combust. "Leave my sisters out of this," Skuld spoke shakily.

"As I remember it, you have a sister named Urd who is the epitome of garbage," Antoinette continued to speak as she placed her hands behind her back and began to pace up and down the center line of the bay. She grinned and chuckled as she berated Skuld's family. "Urd let some mentally unstable moron cram her with some demon spawn. I was on the team that was going to eliminate her, but somehow she got a pass. Rumor has it that your other sister decided to do the same thing. Whores," she sighed.

Several of the women up and down the line laughed aloud at the antics of their lead instructor. The Valkyrie made her way to the end of the bay before turning and removing her armored crown. She pulled her tunic off to reveal her chest and midriff wrapped in a silken band that compressed her breasts. "Go ahead Skuld," she challenged. The room fell instantly silent.

Skuld felt tears running down her cheeks that she furiously wiped away with her wrist. She fought the urge to break ranks and approach the center line. She thought about Sousuke, Urd, Belldandy, and Shinji. She wished she was in a hotel room somewhere wrapped up with Shinji in a blanket. She wanted to be any where but where she was.

"One day I will have the right to execute your slut sisters," Antoinette spoke aloud as she flexed her arms and rotated her shoulders. "I can't wait to hear that mistake roosting inside of Urd beg for its life before I snuff it out on a rock," she continued to speak.

Skuld didn't hear herself scream. She knew her mouth was open and the women near her had retreated in haste as her body emitted a scalding heat that whipped at the faces of the other trainees. "I will fucking end you!" Skuld shouted.

The ground cracked under the heels of her bare feet as she stomped into the center line of the bay. Skuld moved deliberately as she rotated to face the Valkyrie who had insulted her repeatedly. "You will never touch my family," she breathed as a crackle of purple energy began to dance up and down her skin. The ethereal power that surrounded her body began to ebb and flow up and down her entire being.

Antoinette scowled as she hunched down at the waist. The Valkyrie bent her knees and tucked her chin into her chest as she drew both hands up into a defensive posture. "Funny, a Goddess doesn't normally look like that," she spoke aloud as she stepped into a guard position with her left foot out. "I wonder why," she continued to speak as she slunk her right foot out to change her weight distribution.

Skuld wiped at the tears that had filled her eyes. She struggled to see through her leaking lids as she reached her emotional limit. "I don't care what you say about me, but you won't insult my family," she demanded.

"Then come and get it," Antoinette smirked as she beckoned Skuld towards her. The Valkyrie held out her left fist before rotating it to face up and wiggling her fingers rhythmically towards her own body.

\scenebreak

"Hi," the diminutive and child like figure of Chibi-Hild spoke with a wide smile and a sweeping wave of her hand. The little demonic clone of Hild rocked back and forth on her heels as she intertwined her fingers behind her back. "Can Belldandy come out to play?" she questioned.

Banpei remained passively silent. The robot held a horse stance with his legs powerfully rooted in the dirt and both arms up and out in a stop position. The robot didn't budge or reply as he kept the tiny demon at bay.

"Can you PLEASE get Belldandy," Chibi-Hild pleaded with a long and exaggerated stress on the please. The child like visage of Hild shot the robot an exasperated huff before shooing him with both hands. "Go you stupid robot," she commanded.

Banpei didn't flinch or move. He continued to hold his silent vigil at the edge of the wards that protected the home of the Goddesses. He wasn't programmed to take orders from Demons. His only purpose was to protect and guard the occupants of the home.

"Fine, you wanna do this the hard way? We can do it the hard way," she finally growled. Chibi-Hild took several deep breaths as she wiggled her hands out in front of herself rapidly. She loosened up her arms as she shrugged her shoulders several times until she stilled and glowered in the direction of the robot. She continued to take deep breathes before jabbing both hands through the wards and yanking the robot cleanly through the protective spell.

Banpei couldn't react in time as Chibi-Hild cleanly cleaved his limbs from his body. Her dainty hands glowed like a plasma cutter as she rapidly chopped the robot up by it's appendages. She then beheaded him and slipped her fingers into the neck cavity in order to get a better grip on the massive beach ball like head. "Sorry! But not sorry!" she giggled maniacally as she kicked the rest of the bits of the robot past the threshold of the gate.

"Ugh, this is going to bite," she sighed before closing her eyes and throwing her whole body shoulder first towards the wards of the home. She collided with an opaque blue shimmering wall of energy that cracked and sizzled on her skin. Chibi-Hild grit her teeth and grunted until finally crashing through the wall unceremoniously with a stumble.

"Ow!" she groaned angrily as a thick black smoke exuded from her flesh. Her hair looked burnt and she had to shake her head and body until the damage from the wounds rapidly healed. "Dumb," she spoke before making her way towards the entrance to the temple that the Goddesses called home. She hopped up the steps without stopping and halted at the door before knocking with enough force that it shook the walls of the home. "Hey!" she cried out.

The door opened immediately. Urd stood in the door way holding a frying pan with both hands as she shot her gaze back and forth above the tiny Demon. "Show yourself!" she hollered and scowled in tandem.

"Ugh!" Chibi-Hild groaned as she lifted the head of Banpei up over her own head. She wiggled the grinning automaton's head for several seconds before nearly shouting. "Can Belldandy PLEASE come talk to me!"

"What did you do? Where is Sousuke? Is he safe!?" Urd began to shout as she lifted the frying pan above her head in a ready to strike pose.

"Sousuke this! Sousuke that! Sousuke is so important to every one! No one cares about Sousuke, this is about Skuld!" she angrily stomped her foot as she dismissed the physical threats made by Urd. "I also broke your toy, sorry," she spoke much calmer as she sat the head down on the ground and patted it once.

"Belldandy is in class," Urd spoke cautiously as she stared at the child like demon before her.

Chibi-Hild rolled her eyes several times before holding up her right hand. She flashed three fingers and began to count down by slowly drawing the fingers downwards into a fist before turning to point at the yard. As if on cue, the metallic samurai-like visage of Belldandy erupted into existence with enough force that it cratered the ground around her feet. A powerful gust of wind forced Urd and Chibi-Hild to cover their faces.

"I broke your ward too," Chibi-Hild grinned before hopping off of the porch of the home and skipping towards Belldandy. "Bell! Do you like Skuld?" she hollered as she skipped right up towards the armored Valkyrie.

Belldandy hefted her halberd up, span it several times, and then drove the handle into the ground by her feet. She reached up and removed her helmet before leaning her head back and shaking out her hair. "Hild, what do you want?" she demanded in her serene voice. Belldandy did not appear to be amused by the antics of the Queen of Hell or her Demonic clone.

"Skuld is going to die in a training 'accident'," she stressed the word accident by flexing her fingers in air quotes. "Unless you show up in a few seconds," she continued. Chibi-Hild placed both of her index fingers on her own cheeks and began to drill two small dimples into the skin playfully as she grinned maniacally.

Belldandy stared at her with a hard look, sizing up her intentions. "How would you even know this?" she questioned the tiny demon.

"You won't be able to save her alone, but if you ask nicely, I can help," Chibi-Hild replied evasively. She extended her hand towards Belldandy. "We both know I can't enter that deep into your realm without assistance, let alone access the Valkyrie training grounds. You would have to provide me access," she finished.

Belldandy glared at Hild's alter ego. "You ask too much of me," she replied as she ran her fingers through her hair. "You expect me to give access to the halls of the Valkyries to the Queen of Hell herself?"

Chibi-Hild flashed a toothy grin at Belldandy before shaking her extended hand at her. "The clock is ticking. Her life is in your hands," she replied.

\scenebreak

Skuld ducked a kick aimed at her head as she extended her hands and attempted to exert some form of control over Antoinette. Every time she grabbed her flesh or found a hold in fabric, Antoinette would land a punishing blow against her wrist, forearm, or elbow that would allow her to dislocate her grip before twirling out of range again.

"Come here!" Skuld cried out as she took three quick steps deep into Antoinette's guard. The tiny Goddess threw a back fist that struck the Valkyries cheek with enough force that she stumbled out of the centerline of the bay and towards a locker. Skuld locked on to the obviously distressed elven maidens back.

Antoinette stumbled and flailed as she reached out to steady herself against the heavy metallic locker. She rubbed at her cheek where the blow had landed before looking down and back at the rapidly approaching Goddess behind her. She braced herself against the door of the locker and counted to three before pushing away from the locker, pivoting on her heel, and launching a sidekick aimed squarely at the tiny Goddesses center mass.

Skuld felt her breath hitch as the blow compressed her chest bone. She felt her body sail through the air before landing in a pile at the feet of several trainees in the process of scattering. She tried to speak but the only sound that escaped her lips was a subdued choke.

Antoinette grasped her opportunity immediately. She charged into a run before punting Skuld in the gut with as much force as she could muster. The Goddess sailed up into the air before slamming into the wall and leaving a dent. It took several seconds before her crumpled form rolled out of the crater and plummeted the several feet to the floor. She lay still.

"Did you not choose to be Valkyries?" Antoinette yelled as she addressed the trainees. "Did you not swear to protect your kingdom from the transgressions of the fallen?" she continued as she gesticulated her hands above her head before bringing them downwards to point in the direction of Skuld.

The sound of murmurs amongst the crowd filled the air. Some protested while others praised Antoinette. The mixed emotions ebbed and flowed in the crowd as many wondered what Skuld could have done that would elicit such a demonstration from their team leader.

"I will show you the enemy!" Antoinette yelled before approaching the limp form of Skuld. She knelt and gripped her top, digging her long fingers into the fabric. She pulled violently and stripped the cloth from her body before grabbing her arms and pulling them up and over her head. She spotted the tattoos nestled in the pit of her arm.

Skuld felt her faculties returning as the cold floor of the bay bit at her back. She began to struggle against the Valkyrie. "Stop it," Skuld choked out as she kicked her legs and waved her free arm. "Just leave me alone," she continued to plead. She felt as though the room were spinning.

Antoinette stood and hefted in one clean motion. She yanked Skuld up by her arm and dangled her body in the air as her feet dragged on the floor. "Look at this!" she yelled as she displayed the tattoos and Skuld's nude upper body. "This is your enemy. The deceivers who will attempt to walk amongst you," she continued.

The sound of gasps in the crowd weighed heavy in the air. The murmurs grew in intensity and some of the trainees began to yell. "Kill her! Destroy her!" their voices raised as the call for her blood shook the ground and rallied many of the trainees in the group who had held their opinion back.

Antoinette released her vice like grip on Skuld's wrist and watched as she crumpled onto the floor again. The Valkyrie took several deep breathes before holding her right hand out with her palm facing upwards. A coalescing kaleidoscope of color started as a puddle before forming a dagger in her palm. The blade was a dark titanium that held no glint. A killers weapon.

Skuld stared up at her defiantly from the ground. She scowled as the Valkyrie knelt down on her chest painfully. She hefted her arms up and tried to press her off ineffectually as she wondered what it would mean to die. "Kiss my ass," Skuld breathed laboriously as the weight of the elf on her bare chest ached. "Every one of you," she cursed the group as they began to huddle around her.

Antoinette chuckled as she brought the blade up to place it well within sight of Skuld. "Look," she whispered as her hair cascaded down around her face. She smiled as she stared down at the injured and weakened Goddess. "This is the blade that I am going to use to kill you, your sisters, their spawn, and their humans," her voice was hard as she smiled down at Skuld maliciously.

Skuld rested her right hand down on the thigh of the Valkyrie and closed her eyes. She summoned every drop of energy she had as she thought about those people most important to her. She focused her intent on the palm of her hand and allowed her mind to drift towards the thoughts of Urd, Sousuke, and their defenseless child. She could hear the faint screams of the Valkyrie growing louder in her ears as she latched on to the appendage.

Skuld waited. She waited for the prick of the knife, the burning sensation, or the violent snuffing of consciousness that still hadn't come. She could feel intense pressure on her arm, a yanking sensation, and then hands. Someone was grabbing her, holding her, and she could feel them rocking her in their arms. She was too frightened to open her eyes and so she froze. She hoped that if she continued to play dead, they would simply leave her alone. She would wake up in her bed, warm, and this would all be a bad dream.

"Skuld," a distant voice, distinct, but unrecognized found a way into her head. "Skuld," the voice called out to her again. "Wake up, it's all going to be all right," the voice was reassuring, confident, and soft. She knew she should know the owner of this voice, but she couldn't identify her.

Skuld wanted to reply. She fought to work her lips as she continued to crush her eyelids closed. She wanted to thank this person, praise them, and beg them to protect her. Instead, all she could muster was a choked sob and a frightened "Please," that opened a flood gate of tears. She felt betrayed, violated, and terrified that the Valkyries, Goddesses in their own right, would threaten her family.

"Open your eyes Skuld," the voice continued to speak to her. She knew she was being spoken to, but she felt the strongest desire to shy away. She took several deep and ragged breaths before forcing one eye open. She looked up into the face of her savior and noticed the golden hue and cat like shape of her eyes first. The second thing to strike her was her deeply toned skin, and finally the tattoos that denoted her a demon. "Hild?" Skuld questioned her.

Chibi-Hild grinned down at her. Her pure white teeth glistened in the light of the bay. "You scared me," Chibi-Hild admonished playfully as she continued to sit on the floor with Skuld nestled into her arms. "I didn't think Belldandy would let me come save you," she continued.

"Why are you here?" Skuld questioned her suspiciously. She tried to lean forward but the room began to spin and she fell back into the embrace of the demon Queen. "Ugh," she groaned aloud as she clamped her eyes shut again.

"I came to stop you from eviscerating every one in the room," Chibi-Hild replied before giggling softly. "Well, try at least," she continued to speak as her lips pulled up her grin even higher.

"Is this another test?" Skuld wondered aloud. She grew suspicious about Chibi-Hild having a presence at the heart of the Valkyries training academy. "How did you get here?"

"Belldandy," Chibi-Hild replied matter of factually. "I'm here because I received curious news," she began to stroke Skuld's hair gently as she continued to rock her slowly. "If you are wondering if this is a Valkyrie test, well, it isn't. However, every decision we make is a test, so maybe you should think of it that way," she sighed wistfully.

Skuld gathered her senses and rolled over slowly. She balanced herself on her hands and knees with her chin pressed against her chest. She breathed slow and deliberately as she struggled to toss off the sluggishness that had infected her. "Why am I so tired?" she asked.

"Well, the first words I heard from the trainees was 'Help! Help! Oh my God!' so I really feel that you are doing a lot better than I expected," Chibi-Hild guffawed as she moved to sit beside Skuld. "You did a number on the Valkyrie assigned to kill you," she continued to laugh.

Skuld raised her head to look at Chibi-Hild and grimaced. "Why would someone assign a Valkyrie to kill me?" she inquired. "That doesn't make sense. I am a Goddess," she spluttered through the thick mucous that choked her breath. "Valkyries don't kill Goddesses," she groaned out from between her teeth.

"Oh, is that fact?" the tiny clone of Hild asked incredulously. "I distinctly remember Goddesses battling it out to the death over who is in charge not very long ago," Chibi-Hild mused as she leaned back onto her hands and arched her back. She hummed softly as she waited for Skuld to make it to her feet.

Skuld had no reply. She finally gained the courage to pull herself up into a standing position. She steadied herself as she swayed on her heels for several seconds before taking the time to look about the training bay. The room was a mess filled with over turned beds, blood on the floor and walls, and scorch marks dotted about. "What happened?" she asked slowly.

"You," Chibi-Hild replied before rolling back onto her shoulders and kicking out with her legs. She flipped up and off the ground with a graceful kip-up that ended with her pivoting to press her shoulder against Skuld. She smiled up at her encouragingly when Skuld placed her arm around her neck and used her for support. "I heard you are a real warrior when you want to be," she continued.

Skuld took one more lingering look around the room before looking down at Hild. "Now what?" she asked softly. Her eyes welled with tears and her lips quivered for a moment before she reached up to wipe at her eyes and lips. "I guess I won't be a Valkyrie any more?" she asked Chibi-Hild with a cracking voice.

Chibi-Hild shrugged softly, allowing her shoulder to run gently up Skuld's trunk. "I wouldn't know, I don't make those decisions, but I would assume you wouldn't want to continue hanging out where the residents want to kill you," she mused. "It might be bad for your health," she continued.

Skuld grunted in agreement as she began the process of walking. Chibi-Hild kept pace with her as the pair made their way to the heavy door way. Skuld began to reach for the door but Chibi-Hild interrupted her with a squeeze of her arm around her waist. "I got this," the little Demon Queen spoke as she reached out and tendrils of black smoke lashed out from her finger tips. The smoke danced around the handle before coalescing into the shape of a hand and drawing the door back for the pair. The smoke faded without a trace of it ever being there.

"Cool," Skuld chuckled softly.

"It's handy," Chibi-Hild replied. The tiny Demoness grinned up wildly at Skuld as she waggled her eyebrows and grunted questioningly several times.

"Ugh," Skuld replied with a grimace. She shook her head in the negative as she stared down at Chibi-Hild.

\scenebreak

Urd huffed softly. She stood at the head of the dining room table, listening to the eerie silence of the kitchen. "Who can't cast spells or fly?" she asked aloud, piercing the emptiness, before pointing at herself with both thumbs. "This Goddess!" she continued to speak before reaching down to pick up a bowl she had been eating out of and carrying it to the sink.

The dishes clattered as she stacked them up. She stared down into the sink for several seconds before groaning. "Oh fine! I'll do them," she arched her back and groaned before grabbing some soap and activating the spout. "Dishes are boring, cleaning the house is boring, and not being invited to help Skuld is boring," she spat between clenched teeth.

Urd worked in relative silence as she soaped and lathered the different eating implements before rinsing them off and placing them on a towel next to the sink. "Where the hell is Keiichi?" she questioned before rolling her eyes. "School," she answered her self. The sound of footsteps caught her ears. "Sousuke!?" she hollered as she turned to face the hallway.

The cinnamon skinned Goddess waited patiently for an answer but when none came, she called out again. "Sousuke! Belldandy!" she waited several more seconds before sighing exasperatedly. "Monsters?" she proffered to no avail.

Urd scowled before reaching out slowly towards the cooking implements. She allowed her slender fingers to wrap around the handle of the largest butcher knife they had in their inventory. The long thick blade jutted out from her fist dangerously as she waved the weapon around several times in front of her. "I'm armed and I'm not afraid to poke you!" she threatened as menacingly as she could muster. "You better tell me who you are!"

"I'm your worse nightmare you shit talking, man stealing, whore," the feminine voice replied dangerously. The words reverberated throughout the house before a figure appeared in the doorway. The cat suit hugged the womans flesh tightly, shimmering softly, as she punched her fist into the open palm of her other hand. Her face was covered by a mask with two eye holes cut out.

"Who are you?" Urd questioned incredulously. She held up the blade and displayed it angrily. "Do you know who you just insulted? Also, I've never stolen someones man," she spat argumentatively. Urd leaned her head back and reached up with her free hand, she gripped her pony tail and span it around before pulling it up into a bun with one hand. "I'm going to slap the hell out of you," she threatened. "Who are you?"

"You stole Sousuke from me," the woman replied dangerously. "You aren't fit to clean, let alone challenge me in my suit," the woman replied with malice on her breath.

"Kaname Chidori?" Urd asked. Her voice cracked as she leaned forward to stare at the woman before her. "You crazy bitch, YOU left SOUSUKE!" Urd nearly shouted in reply as she gesticulated with her hands in the direction of the woman in front of her. "You better get out of here before my sister gets back and she chucks you out," she spat as she shook her head.

"If Sousuke had done what he promised, it would never have come to this," Kaname yelled back. She pivoted at the waist and slammed her fist into the wall with a foundation shaking crash. "This suit makes me faster, stronger, and more than a match for you!" she continued to speak. "I wouldn't have been kidnapped if it hadn't been for Sousuke," her voice echoed through the house as she shook. "Every thing is your fault and his fault," she continued to fluster.

Urd stared at the masked figure of Kaname. She scowled as she attempted to discern the unreasonable womans logic. "So what do you want from us?" she demanded to know.

"I want you to die," Kaname replied as she lunged forward viciously. The augmentations from the suit increased her strength, stamina, and speed but it did nothing for her technique. Her initial attack was a hammer fist from high up. The movement was easy to anticipate and Urd ducked away as the counter behind her gave way under the explosive blow.

Urd didn't look back as she rushed past her attacker. She made it to the hallway, surged forward to the phone, and yanked up the receiver. She began dialing numbers but lost her grip on the phone as Kaname kicked her away from the device.

"Oh no, bitch!" Kaname shouted. She pointed at the eschewed telephone before pointing at Urd. "I know that you and your freakish little friends can use that thing to move all over the planet. Not going to happen," she spat before hefting her leg up and smashing her foot down on the receiver.

Urd rolled with the blow, allowed her body to slide on the floor, and settled against the wall. The Goddess held her hand against her arm, grit her teeth, and hissed between her lips as her eyes filled with tears. "You broke my arm," Urd groaned.

"Good," Kaname replied icily. "Next, I am going to cut your heart out," she continued to speak before reaching up to remove her mask. Her finger tips gripped the fabric and pinched before she yanked upwards and freed her hair. "I hate you," she breathed as her eyes flashed wildly.

"The feeling is mutual," Urd replied. She kicked her legs out to press her self against the wall. "I don't know what we did to deserve this," Urd began to speak. Her voice trailed off as Kaname began to approach her. "Get back," Urd commanded. She gambled and held up her good arm to point her fingers at Kaname. "I will cast a spell on you," she spoke as calmly as she could.

Kaname scowled and paused. She seemed to be sizing Urd up before launching herself forward to straddle the Goddess. She grabbed Urd's arm, twisted it to the side over her own neck, and pressed down. Urd was pinned awkwardly to the ground. Her breath was ragged as the awkward position and weight of Kaname began to choke off her ability to inhale or exhale.

"Please," Urd choked out as she pressed against the wall with her free hand. She struggled to free herself from the death grip that Kaname held her in. "I'm pregnant," she tried to plead.

Kaname leaned down slowly until her face was close enough to Urd that her breath surged over her skin. "I know, you filthy whore," she whispered softly. Her mouth split into a devilish grin that spanned from ear to ear as her pink tongue flickered out to wet her parched lips. "You deserve this," she continued to speak as she reached behind her back to her waist and released the cinch on the knife she wore. She drew the blade up slowly before rotating it in her hand and drawing her fist back in order to strike.

Urd felt a wet and sticky spray of fluid wash over her face. She had clenched her eyes shut, but she opened them at once. She felt the tremendous pressure Kaname had placed on her body release as she watched her body splay out upon the floor. Kaname slid across the floor towards the opposite end of the hallway, her head neatly caved in. Urd gasped.

"Get away from my sister!" Skuld cried out. She gripped the handle of her mallet tightly in her balled fists. She raised the weapon cautiously as she placed herself between Urd and the twisted and battered Kaname. "Don't you EVER threaten my family!" she continued to shriek.

"Skuld?" Urd questioned. She allowed her eyes to flicker back and forth between her sister and the profusely bleeding skull of her would be killer. "How did you get here?" she asked.

"Oh! Oh! I can answer this one!" the giddy voice of Chibi-Hild echoed off the walls shrilly as she bounced into view from the kitchen. The tiny demoness held a bowl of cereal in one hand and a spoon in the other. "Skuld and I just got here, lucky for you, and Skuld handled this mess," the demoness explained as she jammed a spoon full of cereal into her mouth. She turned and approached the broken body of Kaname before eye balling her carefully. "Gross," she opined as she nudged her shoulder with her toe.

Skuld approached the body as well. She strode purposefully as she lifted her mallet up over her head. Her knuckles grew white as she squeezed the handle of the weapon as hard as she could. The little Goddess scowled deeply as her breath grew ragged. "Piss OFF," she shouted as she brought the heavy head of the mallet down forcefully onto her targets head.

Chibi-Hild shied away from the gore with a shout as she twisted her body and held her bowl and spoon up over her head. "Gross!" she cried out as blood and brain matter splattered across the room. "A warning would be nice!" she exclaimed as she shot a dirty look at Skuld.

Urd pulled herself up into a sitting position. Her arm dangled down the front of her body, and she clutched it with her other hand in order to keep it still. She didn't speak as her eyes danced back and forth between her sister and the diminutive incarnation of her mother.

"There, I did it right," Skuld growled between grit teeth. She hefted the hammer with a squelch as it broke suction between the floor and the woman. "No mercy," Skuld breathed.

"Who are you and what did you do with my Skuld?" Urd finally asked. She stared nervously between the pair. She grimaced as she released her arm and began to rub her stomach. "Oh God," Urd groaned as she buckled forward in pain. She began to press with her finger tips against her pelvic area as she clenched her eyes shut.

"Are you all right?" Skuld inquired slowly. She tossed the mallet to the side with a clatter. The weapon produced a ringing noise and it left a deep gouge in the hard wood floors of the temple they called home. "What do I do?" she asked as she held up her hands and began to approach Urd slowly.

"Help me stand," Urd pleaded as she held out her good hand. She bit down on her own lip until it began to bleed as she grasped at the air ineffectually.

Skuld rushed to her sister without hesitation. She knelt and placed her shoulder up under Urd's good arm before twisting and lifting. She brought Urd to her feet in a single smooth motion, balancing her on the fulcrum she created with her own body. "Now what?" she asked as she leaned forward to stare at the pained expression on her face.

Chibi-Hild knelt down and placed her bowl and spoon on top of Kaname's still warm corpse. She then stood, pivoted, and rushed to the kitchen. "Bring her in here," she commanded as she waved her arm over her head in a beckoning motion.

"Coming," Skuld replied as she wrapped her arm around Urd's waist and began to lead her into the kitchen. "Just relax," she tried to assure Urd as she craned her neck to look into her eyes. The pair stumbled into the kitchen where Chibi-Hild stood next to the kitchen table.

"Here," the little Demoness commanded as she pointed at the table.

Urd gripped her stomach with her free hand as she pivoted to lean her butt against the table. "This isn't good," she choked out as Skuld helped heft her up onto the table. She scooted backwards until her heels rested on the table and she lay back fully. "This isn't comfortable either," she complained with a huff as she rested both of her hands on her stomach and massaged methodically.

"Ready for it to get worse?" Chibi-Hild questioned. She grinned mischievously before raising her eye brows high and flashing her sharp canines. "I called your mother," she explained before slapping herself on the forehead. "I mean, me, but big me," she replied with a flustered tone before clapping her hands and leaning forward. "Fun!" she exclaimed.

"Oh no," Urd groaned as she clamped her eyes shut. She inhaled sharply as her eyes grew wide. "Skuld, help me out of these," she begged as she clawed at her pants waist with her finger tips.

"Ok," Skuld replied warily before approaching Urd and gripping the waist of the pants. She began to tug on them but stopped the moment Urd grimaced. "How do I?" she questioned falteringly before starting as Chibi-Hild crammed a pair of scissors into her hand.

"Cut them off dummy!" She cried out as she pointed at Urd.

Skuld nodded once before approaching Urd again and slipping the head of the scissors into the space she made by pulling the waist line to the side. She slid the scissors down the length of her leg, cleanly slicing the fabric open. She repeated the motion on the opposite side and peeled the clothing away. She allowed her vision to wander upwards as she tried to pointedly not stare between her legs.

"Humiliating!" Urd cried out as she buckled upwards. "Don't look," she demanded.

"I'm not!" Skuld yelled back. She looked down at the scissors in her hand before turning towards the counter and tossing them into the sink. "Now what?" she asked as she turned towards Chibi-Hild.

"Cover your ears," Chibi-Hild replied calmly as she placed her hands over her ears. She grinned wider.

"Oh God," Urd groaned as she placed her fingers in her ears.

Skuld followed suit just as Hild, Marller, and Sousuke burst through the aether into the room. The window in the kitchen shattered outwards as a purple haze of energy filled the entire room. "Urd!" Hild proper cried out.

Chibi-Hild tossed a peace sign up before allowing herself to dissolve into a floating wisp of energy that was quickly absorbed by Hild.

"Urd," Sousuke spoke as he rushed to her side. He slipped his fingers between hers as he extended his arm to allow her to rest her head on his bicep. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Ugh!" she groaned as she turned her head away from him. She didn't have the stomach to face him.

"Does Sousuke know?" Skuld asked nervously to Marller as she moved back and away from the action.

"No," Marller replied quickly. She began to busy herself warming water before pointing at Skuld. "Go get us towels."

"Right," Skuld replied as she turned to the door and rushed into the hallway. She felt nauseous as she hopped over the bloody corpse of Kaname. "Oh man," she grumbled as she acquired the towels and repeated her actions on the way back.

"Oh sweet child," Hild spoke excitedly as she stood in front of Urd. "Just push and breath," she spoke encouragingly and softly as she placed her hands on her knees and helped spread her thighs. "It's going to be all right," she continued to speak softly.

Urd began to scream as she grunted and pushed. She cried out as Hild leaned forward to place her hands down low and helped her expel the egg. The small egg was covered in blood and sputum that Hild immediately removed using a warm wet towel. She cradled the tiny egg softly in her hands before moving towards a now reclining Urd who was breathing hard.

"Sousuke," Urd groaned through a weak smile. "We did it," she spoke before grimacing as she looked down at her arm. It was swollen and purple.

"What happened?" Sousuke asked cautiously as he reached out to run his finger down her injured arm. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I killed Kaname," Skuld spoke up from the corner of the kitchen. "I did it to protect Urd,"

Sousuke grunted a confused chuckle before bringing his gaze back from Skuld to Urd. "No, really," Sousuke spoke.

"She tried to kill me," Urd spoke cautiously. "She is in the hallway," Urd continued through grit teeth.

Marller grimaced before reaching into her pants pocket. She withdrew a small bag that she unlatched and reached into. She located a small glass vial of red viscous liquid and approached Urd to proffer it to her. "Want this?" she asked.

Urd hesitated before growling deeply. "Fuck it," she exclaimed as she opened her mouth and allowed Marller to pour the fluid down her throat. She sighed contently after a few moments as the liquid healed her.

"What is that?" Sousuke questioned. He seemed in shock over the entire business.

"Human blood mixed with herbs," Marller replied. "It's a fast method to heal an injured demon and completely safe," she explained. "Free range, all natural, and cruelty free. We only gather our blood from blood banks," she explained.

Urd winced at the word demon but remained silent. She leaned back onto the table and waited for the concoction to finish healing her completely. "Thank you," she sighed as she allowed her eyes to close.

Hild continued to cradle the egg close to her chest as she stared down at it affectionately. "Welcome to Earth," she spoke with a baby like coo as she bonded with the tiny spawn of her daughter. "Mother is here but she needs to rest, so you stay with Grandma right now," she spoke.

Sousuke moved away from Urd and turned towards the hallway. He took a deep breath before walking past a now staring Skuld and peeking into the hallway. He immediately spotted the broken corpse and the blood splattered blue hair of his previous flame.

The soldier leaned back into the kitchen and turned to look at Skuld with wide eyes. "What happened?" he asked her softly with a strange look on his face.

"I smashed her with my hammer," Skuld replied with a shrug. "She was trying to kill Urd," she offered.

Sousuke pursed his lips and nodded his head several times. He turned and made his way to Urd before grabbing a chair and sitting at the table to her side. He reached out and placed his hands on her before bowing his head and resting his cheek on her arm. "Are you safe?" he asked of her cautiously.

"I'm just recharging," Urd replied softly. She took a deep breath before lifting her hand up directly over her body. She snapped her fingers once before her clothing appeared on her body. She was completely clean and refreshed as though nothing had happened to her. "It's coming back," she stated as her lips curled into a smile.

Sousuke sighed contently. He had been more concerned about Urd than Kaname. He wasn't sure how to react as he stood and made his way around the table towards Hild. He leaned in close to her hands and looked down at the blue speckled egg that she clutched daintily. "It's so small," he whispered.

"She is going to get bigger before she hatches. The egg usually expands several times before the little nymph claws her way out," Hild explained happily. "Urd was huge though when she was born," she continued as she reminisced about days gone past.

"I can't imagine that Urd was once a little egg," Sousuke spoke as he turned to look at his still lounging girlfriend. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable in a bed or on a couch?" he wondered aloud as he allowed his gaze to wander back and forth between Urd and the egg.

"Yes," Urd replied. She began to sit up and smiled wide as Sousuke rushed forward to assist her. He held her hand as he helped lift her with his arm. "Thanks," she smiled as she stood shakily.

"I love you," Sousuke blurted out as he cupped her body close to his with his arm and did his best to keep her safe.

"I love you too," Urd replied. She took several deep breathes before standing up straight. She reached out with her hands and accepted the egg from Hild wordlessly. The cinnamon skin Goddess clutched the egg to her chest before raising it to rub it against her cheek. "Hello," she whispered as tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm your mother," she continued.

Sousuke smiled and leaned forward to kiss the egg. He spoke to it as well. "I'm your father," he spoke uneasily. The words seemed strange on his lips. "Welcome to our family," he added quickly.

Hild beamed as she clasped her hands together. She couldn't keep her eyes off of them as she practically shook with excitement. "So wonderful!" she exclaimed as she smiled at the pair. "Will I have your permission to see the child sometimes?" she asked timidly.

"Of course," Sousuke replied before pausing and looking at Urd. "It would be all right, yes?" he asked her.

Urd turned her attention on Hild fully. The pair stared into each others eyes for several seconds before she finally relented and nodded her head once. "Thank you for coming today," she spoke slowly and deliberately. She felt distinctly uncomfortable as she communicated with Hild humanely.

Hild looked absolutely overjoyed. She grinned wide as she began to extend her arms out towards Urd but she paused before thinking better of pushing her luck. "I am so thankful that you two are willing to let me into your life," she spoke quickly before casting a beaming look on Sousuke. "Thank you Sousuke," she spoke as her face fell and she turned to look out the kitchen window.

"What is wrong?" Marller asked rapidly as she began to sniff the air repetitiously. "What is that?" she questioned as she grew restless. The Demoness moved towards Hild and stood behind her protectively as she began to survey the room.

Urd answered tensely. "Valkyries," she spoke angrily. "Stay close to me," she commanded to Sousuke as he stood and began to look about the room. "We have lots of company," she continued.

"Marller," Hild spoke calmly as she began to remove her ear rings. "I need you to protect Skuld at all costs," she demanded with a definite finality. She also removed her bracelets, a necklace, and several rings.

Marller did not need to reply to demonstrate her understanding of her orders. She drew her shirt up with her right hand as she reached into her waist band and withdrew a small black dagger from a leather holster. She rotated the blade into a downward grip before making her way to stand well within Skuld's personal space.

Skuld glanced at Marller nervously before shooting her gaze towards Sousuke. "What the heck is happening?" she questioned nervously as she began to flicker her attention between the faces of each of the Demons in the room.

An enormous explosion of energy shook the house to the foundation in rapid succession as Valkyrie after Valkyrie began to appear in the yard just outside the window of the kitchen. Each figure that appeared left an indention in the ground as they exploded into existence on the physical plane.

"What do they want?" Skuld questioned as she strained to level her gaze past Marller.

"Well, we have a dead girl in the next room over, and two Goddesses who have broken one of the most important covenants of our people," Marller replied sarcastically. "I assume they are coming to deliver cookies."

Skuld scowled in reply as she held her tongue.

"We should ask Belldandy," Urd spoke up as she drew herself up to her full height. She tried to look as intimidating as possible as she flexed her fists rhythmically. "She is outside."

Sousuke seethed. He felt a strange sense of betrayal as he began to peruse the armor clad faces of those who had declared themselves enemies of his family. He had no idea why they were there, but their intrusion was grating on his nerves. He had no words for the emotions he was feeling.

"Shall we?" Hild questioned as she slowly raised her left hand before drawing it to the side. The shattered window and the wall that contained it faded from vision revealing a perfect path to the back yard. She drew her lips up into a sickly sweet smile before making her way towards the group of waiting Valkyries.

"Be careful," Urd piped up. She was allowing her eyes to dart back and forth until they fell on an empty space between two Valkyries. Her eyes drew into slits as she scowled. She placed the egg safely between her breasts as she followed Hild out into the yard.

"Greetings! We aren't buying," Hild exclaimed playfully as she waved at the silent mass of Valkyries. "No solicitors," she continued to joke as she placed her hands on her hips and allowed her vision to flicker from face to face within the crowd. None of the women stirred.

"Urd," the voice of Belldandy filled the air with a heavy weight as the Goddess appeared between two other Valkyries. "They," she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "We are here to take you back to Heaven for an investigation. Skuld is going to need to come too," she explained.

"What kind of investigation?" Urd questioned defensively. Her voice quivered for a moment as she drew a nervous breath between words. "We didn't do any thing," she blurted out before kicking herself. She steeled her nerves in order to keep from shooting a frightened glance back in the direction of the house where she knew Kaname still lay.

Belldandy returned a confused look as she cocked her head slightly. "Is something wrong Urd, you look nervous," she questioned slowly. "Did something happen?" She faltered for a moment before a brief look of joy flashed across her features. "Did you," she allowed the words to hang in the air as she clasped her hands in front of her own stomach.

Urd began to nod before Skuld interrupted her. "I admit it!" she cried out. "I killed her, but I only did it to protect Urd!" she rushed forward to place her body between Urd and Belldandy. "I did it, so don't blame Urd." she began to babble as she spoke with tears dripping down her face.

"What are you talking about?" Belldandy began to question. Her voice cut off as she and the Valkyries placed their attention on the home as a shrill shriek echoed out of the home. Keiichi had returned and discovered the body in the home.

"Belldandy! Sousuke! Someone!" he cried out as he rushed his way into the kitchen. He appeared stricken as he fixated on Belldandy. "There, there, there is a body in the hallway!" he cried out as he pointed in the direction of the home. He was shaking.

"Shit," Sousuke sighed as he placed a hand over his own face. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot as he began to try to think of a way to keep the situation from getting any worse. He could feel numerous eyes holding him in their gaze. He took a deep breath before dropping the hand on his face and gesturing to the house. "I did it," he claimed.

Belldandy scowled as Skuld turned to stare at him incredulously. "Is this true Mr. Sousuke?" Belldandy questioned him. She inched towards him as she held her right hand out at her side. "We have a duty to punish the wicked," she continued to speak.

"Yes ma'am!" Sousuke replied as he snapped to attention. "I am a bad person and Skuld had absolutely nothing to do with anything I did," he continued as his face broke out into a grin.

Belldandy summoned her weapon and lunged at Sousuke faster than he could see. He didn't register what she had done until he realized he was staring at the sharp point of a halberd blade. He felt his shoulders jerk backwards involuntarily as his eyes bounced from the blade, to her elbow, and finally to her eyes. She had fully intended to end his life in that moment, he was convinced of it.

Urd grunted softly as her claw like finger tips flexed in her left hand. Her tendons in her arm and hand swelled as she began to bend her elbow. The force bent the blade until it created a shape like the letter 'L'. "No," she spoke calmly. A moment later, the air that had been dispersed by their movement rushed back into place with a crack and a blast that nearly sprawled the bystanders to the floor.

"Urd," Belldandy spoke her name like a curse word as she jerked the now ruined blade of the halberd out of her hand and away from Sousuke. "You don't make these decisions and neither does your mother," she continued as her tone dripped acid at the mention of Urd's mother.

"Correction, I carry a majority rule on Earth," Hild offered with a friendly tone that hid her potentially violent retort. "I carry a greater authority than the Valkyries on this realm," she continued to explain as though speaking to a child. After a few moments she allowed her eyes to close to slits as she drew her lips into a thin smile and cocked her head playfully.

Belldandy did not reply as she banished her weapon into the aether with a gentle toss. "You will be standing trial as well Skuld," Belldandy finally spoke as she turned to face the tiny Goddess.

"Skuld isn't going to Heaven," Hild and Urd spoke in unison. The pair froze and shared a look before Urd bashfully tilted her gaze in any direction that didn't include Hild.

Hild cleared her throat before gesturing towards Skuld. "The Valkyries attempted to assassinate Skuld and you expect that she will receive a fair trial after she defended the life of her sister?" The Queen of Hell scoffed as she lifted her hand to her lips and laughed lightly into the back of her fist. "There is no way," Hild continued.

"As long as Skuld is a Goddess, she has no choice," Belldandy replied. "No Goddess can refuse a summons," she continued to speak exasperatedly.

"Skuld, you need to make a choice," Hild replied as she turned her back on Belldandy. The Demon Queen approached Skuld and spoke gently. "If you return to Heaven, they will kill you. Then they will come back to Earth and kill your little friend Shinji. Do you understand?" Hild asked.

"I do," Skuld replied shakily. She began to cry as she hugged herself and sobbed. "I messed up," she gurgled as she allowed her vision to drop shamefully to the floor.

"No child, you protected your sister," Hild replied with a gentle shake. "You have to finish what you started," she spoke.

Urd drew a deep and sharp breath as she realized what she was witnessing. She remained silent as she had no alternative to offer up. "Oh Skuld," she groaned out as she began to cry as well. "Please Hild, isn't there another way?" Urd faltered as the fire in her eyes began to fade.

"You decide," was the only reply Hild could muster as she turned to face Skuld. "You know what needs to be done," she continued to speak gently with a supportive smile on her face.

"I renounce my status as a Goddess and my Heaven citizenship," Skuld blurted out as she whirled on Belldandy. "I give it all up," she continued to speak as she dropped to her knees and began to sob. She covered her face with her hands as she broke down entirely.

"Skuld," Belldandy gasped. Her shoulders shook too. "Why would you do this?" she exclaimed as she began to look about amongst the other Valkyries.

Any answer failed to come as Skuld rocked back onto her heels and allowed her hands to drop to her side. Her forehead glowed bright white for several seconds, hiding her face until the point of light faded and left her with no facial markings to denote her previous standing as a Goddess.

Sousuke felt his jaw drop as he looked about at the different Goddesses surrounding him. He struggled to find words as he felt the world spinning and he moved slowly towards Marller. "Is this another test?" he spoke quietly as he leaned towards her. "If this is some kind of imaginary dream, you need to end this," he demanded of her.

"This isn't a dream," Marller replied as she shook her head firmly. "This is real life," she assured him. "I really recommend you don't wander anywhere near them," she spoke as she jerked her chin towards Belldandy and the rest of the Valkyries. Her attention immediately landed on Hild as she held out her hand and gestured for her to approach.

Sousuke watched as Marller made her way to Hild, reached into her pocket and withdrew a small paper contract. "My lady," Marller spoke as she extended the roll of paper to Hild and released it into her hand. She then took several steps back.

"Child," Hild spoke before kneeling beside Skuld. "You need to sign your name here to became a citizen of Hell," her voice filled the air as she gestured towards the parchment with her other hand.

Skuld wiped at her eyes before extending her hands to take the paper. She continued to cry but managed to roll out the paper. She read it, looked at Hild once, and then bit her own finger with enough force to draw blood. She used her finger tip like a pen and signed her name on the paper.

Urd drew a deep breath in before turning to scowl at Belldandy. "This is your fault," she spat angrily.

"My fault?" Belldandy shrieked indignantly. Her normal stoic demeanor faded as she watched her youngest sister become a citizen of Hell. "YOU are the one who decided to flaunt the covenant, mate with some animal, and get your baby sister involved in something she could never understand!" she shook as she gestured with her hands wildly in the direction of Skuld.

Sousuke began to speak but remained silent when he noticed that Marller was shaking her head in the negative as she stared at him. The atmosphere was growing tense as each of the Goddesses began to square off. He immediately noticed Hild flexing her finger tips in a manner similar to how Urd would when she was agitated. The pair shared many idiosyncrasies that Sousuke picked up on the more he noticed the two around each other.

"You will have to come too Urd," a voice spoke from amongst the crowd of Valkyries. A stirring in the group occurred as Lind removed her helmet and approached the group. "It is obvious that an investigation still needs to be completed and without Skuld, we will need you," she spoke easily as her piercing gaze fell on Sousuke. Her lip curled into a scathing smirk.

"Not happening," Sousuke replied coldly as his body language subconsciously changed to indicate his defiance. He placed his hands on his hips and flexed the muscles in his chest as he scowled back.

Urd took a deep breath before drawing herself up to full height. She extended her chest out and smiled wide as she lifted her left hand up and extended it flippantly towards Hild. "May I have my documentation," she replied coolly.

Marller rolled her eyes softly before reaching into her pocket and withdrawing another tightly wound scroll of paper. She reached out and handed it to Hild who daisy chained the pass to Urd.

"You have a special circumstance," Hild began to speak but fell silent as Urd waved her off with her right hand.

"I will not leave Skuld to this alone," Urd spat haughtily as she shook her wrist firmly one time. The scroll unwound quickly at her ministrations allowing her to lift it up so it was a barrier between herself and the Valkyries. She hid herself behind the parchment as she perused it quickly through tear filled eyes she concealed from Belldandy.

"Urd," Sousuke spoke softly as he approached her. He reached out to place a hand on her but she didn't react to his touch. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her.

Urd flourished her free hand and an ornate pen appeared between her fingers. The feathery quill glowed bright red briefly before she began to write on the parchment. She signed her name quickly before tossing the scroll upwards into the air where it vanished in a puff of acrid smoke.

"I can't believe you!" Belldandy cried out angrily. "Both of you are fools!" she continued to scream as she placed her palms over her eyes.

"Time to leave," Hild spoke softly as she pointed at the Valkyries. "You too," she left no room for interpretation as she shooed Belldandy with her hand.

"This is my home!" Belldandy replied indignantly as she gestured toward Keiichi. "Not theirs," she growled in a very uncharacteristic way.

"It's fine, we can find a place," Urd spoke flippantly as she waved Belldandy off. "I think this house is a little too small any ways," she shrugged with a smile. "I think we should move out," her voice cracked and she turned away to face Sousuke.

"I know where we can stay tonight," Sousuke assured her as he reached out and grabbed Urd's hand. "I will take care of every thing," he assured her. "You too," he spoke as he motioned for the still shell shocked Skuld to approach. "Let's go," he finished.


	12. Ah! A Goddess Has A New Bed?

"What are we going to do?" Urd questioned Sousuke desperately. Her entire body shook as she leaned back against the Charger. She sniffled several times as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "We don't have a place to stay," she spoke aloud to him.

Sousuke stood directly in front of her with his arms crossed. He shifted his weight back and forth on his feet as he fell into deep thought. He had a strong desire to reach out and comfort Urd but he knew that he had no comfort to give in this moment. He stared at her as he struggled to quell the tempest of emotions he felt stirring inside himself. After several moments of watching her he turned his head to gaze at Skuld.

Skuld stood with a shell shocked look on her face. She grasped herself in her own arms and faced towards the house. She seemed to be unable to tear herself away from staring at the large temple they once called home. She neither spoke nor gave any indication she was listening as Marller tried to comfort her with reassuring words.

"Well?" Urd interrupted Sousuke's thoughts.

"Negative copy," Sousuke replied as he turned his head back to face Urd. He motioned with his hand for her to repeat herself as he returned his attention to her.

"I said," Urd grumbled as she squinted at the soldier. "I said that we should rent a hotel," she replied as she leaned up and off the car and motioned to the door. "We should probably go now. Good a time as any. Right?" she questioned him as she reached up to draw her fingers against the egg still tucked between her breasts.

"Stand by," Sousuke replied as he reached into his pocket and withdrew his home made telephone. He twisted knobs and activated the device. A gentle ringing echoed out over the yard for several seconds before a voice answered. "Go," the voice spoke.

"Lodging. Three." Sousuke spoke into the microphone.

"Confirmation number," the voice replied.

"Sagara 6302," Sousuke replied calmly.

"Bad copy," the voice replied. There was a pause before the voice returned again. "Disregard. Override authorized. Revocation of privileges has been superseded. Full authorization," the voice explained calmly.

"Billets for three, Nekomi Institue of Japan, condition yellow," Sousuke spoke rapidly as he finally gave in to his impulses and reached out to gently stroke Urd on the shoulder. He allowed his hand to rise to her cheek and he cupped her face gently in his palm before removing his hand.

"Rental home has been prepared. Secure channel for address," the voice spoke calmly.

Sousuke reached into his pocket and withdrew a pen and a small scrap of paper. "Go ahead, channel secure," Sousuke replied as he approached the hood of the Charger and prepared to scribble.

"12 Akuma, Building 9, Chiba Prefecture," the voice finished before disconnecting the call. A loud click rang out and Sousuke deactivated the device and returned it to his pocket.

"You people are so weird," Urd rolled her eyes incredulously as she watched Sousuke. "It just sounds like two birds parroting things they heard at each other," she continued as she shook her head in his direction.

Sousuke grinned at her before lifting the paper and shaking it in the air. "Polly wants a cracker," he replied as he laughed at his own joke.

Urd ignored him pointedly.

"Skuld," Sousuke called out. She didn't reply or give any indication she heard him. He waited several seconds before continuing to speak. "We are going to take our leave to a home I have prepared for our use. You need to come with us," Sousuke explained calmly.

Marller sighed as she flickered her attention from Skuld to Sousuke and back again. "She is a tough girl, she will survive this," she spoke to Sousuke before leaning towards Skuld. "You know, I AM a Demon and being a citizen of Hell isn't bad at all. I actually like it," she continued as she gestured back at Urd. "Even your sister is one of us."

Skuld looked back at Urd and grimaced before staring straight ahead. "Urd hates Hell," she finally spoke.

"I don't HATE it," Urd replied shakily. "Sure, I might not have ever said any thing nice about it, but it wasn't because I hated the place," Urd continued to explain. She shot an imploring look in the direction of Marller.

"There isn't anything wrong with Hell. Urd just had a bad case of low self esteem," Marller nodded her head before grimacing under the withering gaze of Urd.

Skuld sighed, turned on her heels, and stomped towards the Charger. She reached out and pulled the handle to the rear door. The door didn't budge. She whirled around to scowl at Sousuke.

Sousuke reached in his pocket, withdrew the keys, and pressed the button on the fob to unlock the doors. He motioned towards the vehicle with his hand as the head lights flashed and the horn honked in alert.

Skuld huffed and rolled her eyes before turning back around, opening the vehicle, and climbing into the back seat. She shut the door and stared into the back of the front seat with a vacant glare.

Sousuke turned to face Urd and Marller again. "Do you think it is safe for Hild to be in there alone?" he questioned softly.

Urd rolled her eyes in reply as she shook her head. "She likes to pretend that she is vulnerable in front of you, but she is more powerful than every Valkyrie in there combined. Well, I guess we don't know yet exactly how strong Bell is," her voice trailed off as she turned to face the oddly peaceful temple.

Marller ran her fingers through her hair nervously as she turned to face the temple as well. "She isn't invulnerable," Marller spoke up. "You cut her the deepest you know," she spoke with an acidic tone as she held her gaze pointedly away from Urd.

"Me?" Urd questioned incredulously.

"Yes, you," Marller replied angrily. She turned at the waist and approached Urd. "Don't you understand that she loves you and every time you push her away, it hurts her?" she queried her seriously.

"Nothing hurts Hild. Right?" Urd felt sick as she pawed at her eyes. "This is too much all right?" she yelped as she turned away from Marller, approached the Charger, and clambered into the front passenger seat. She shut the door as well.

Sousuke sighed as he clutched the keys in his fist. He approached Marller and jerked his chin at the temple. "What happens next?"

Marller turned to face an empty spot next to Sousuke and bowed softly. A few moments later, Hild appeared with an easy grin on her face.

"Well, Belldandy gets the house but Skuld and Urd get their things. The body of the young woman was kept by the Valkyries for 'evidential' purposes," Hild spoke with a disinterested bent to her voice. "Would you like to stay with me?" Hild asked hopefully.

"I found us a place," Sousuke replied. He almost felt guilty snatching away Hild's chance to have Urd under her roof again. "I hope you don't mind," he offered lamely.

"No, I understand," Hild waved him off with her open palm. "It's good to know you are taking care of Urd," she smiled at him. "I think you are going to have your hands full. New job, upset girlfriend, and a very moody young woman. I don't envy you," Hild sighed wistfully as she turned to look at the vehicle and it's occupants.

"I'll do what ever it takes to protect Urd," Sousuke spoke calmly. He wanted to reassure himself as much as he wanted to garner Hild's approval. "Anything," he assured aloud.

Hild nodded before crossing her arms under her bosom. "I will have their affects delivered to your new abode," she replied.

"Do you need the address?" Sousuke queried.

Hild replied with a smirk. "Their things are waiting for you already," she chuckled before waving towards the car. A moment later she vanished in a soft flash of purple light.

"See ya at work," Marller spoke to him before she too vanished.

Sousuke inhaled deeply before turning and making his way to the car.

\scenebreak

Athena brushed her hair slowly with a purposeful disinterest in the world around her. She pointedly ignored the approaching Giant she knew as her captor. She could feel his imposing presence within her personal space, but she said nothing.

"The human," Pallas spoke gruffly.

"Is dead," Athena replied calmly. She left no emotion in her voice. She wanted to mourn but could not risk a display of weakness. She was unsure of how Pallas would take this loss. A blow to his plans could leave him violently unstable.

"I underestimated my enemy," Pallas continued. His admission was not lost on Athena. "I believe I will be forced to act myself," he continued to speak to her back. He was unperturbed by her refusal to face him. "You were fond of this one," he stated without emotion.

"Some," Athena confirmed as she nodded her head. She steeled herself before standing and turning to face him. She placed her brush down and cupped her own cheek with her left hand as she supported her elbow with her right palm. "What else can I do to serve you," she recoiled inside as she fought to placate the beast she hated with every fiber in her body.

"Simply continue to suffer," Pallas replied with a smirk as he turned his back on her. He began to laugh. His deep voice echoing off of the walls before he vanished from the room.

Athena waited several seconds. Her body poised perfectly until she was sure she was alone. She screamed a shrill sound that filled the room with anguish before reaching down, snatching up her brush, and hurling it across the room. The wood implement splintered as it exploded against the wall. The bits and pieces rained down on the spot that Kaname had always enjoyed sleeping in.

\scenebreak

Lind knelt beside the broken body that once was the Earthly vessel for Kaname Chidori. She reached down and gripped her shirt before pulling hard towards herself. The cloth held and the limp carcass was straightened out upon the floor. She looked up at Belldandy.

"I have trouble admitting that Skuld could be responsible for this act of violence," Belldandy spoke as she stood in the hallway. She placed her open palms on her hips and gazed down on the grisly scene. "She is just a little girl," she continued.

Lind rolled her eyes and scowled before heaving a heavy sigh. "She is an animal much like the sister you two share," her voice was heavy with resentment. "I can't believe you gave yourself to the human," she continued to speak.

"That is none of your concern," Belldandy replied with a sharp snap. "I have spoken to the Valkyrie council and my transgressions have been forgiven in full," she continued as she rapidly regained her composure. Belldandy and Lind made eye contact and neither blinked until Lind looked away.

"Have you no love for our order?" Lind pressed. She drew her hands in an intricate shape of circles and crosses over the body of Kaname as she returned her attention to the corpse.

"What are you doing?" Belldandy questioned her. She ignored the needling inquiries about her loyalties. "What do you plan to do with this woman?" Belldandy continued to question. She approached the body and knelt as well.

"I will be taking her back to Heaven," Lind replied calmly.

"Her physical body?" Belldandy questioned her. Her voice cracked into a confused tone as she looked from the body to Lind and back again. "For what purpose would the Valkyries take the body of a fallen human?" she inquired.

"That is not your concern," Lind stated flatly. She used the back of her hand to wipe her hair at her forehead line before drawing her arm upwards until she had wiped her brow with her forearm. "The only thing you need know is that I will be taking her with me when I leave," she spoke with finality.

"Why do you question my dedication to our order?" Belldandy serenely inquired. She was gentle with her prodding but left no room for interpretation. "I want to know why you have grown hostile with me," she stated.

"Why?" Lind replied incredulously. She reached out and drew the arms of the body on the floor up and into a crossed position over the chest of the corpse. She then straightened the head until it was gazing upwards. The skull was malformed and the flesh twisted where Skuld had snuffed her out with prejudice.

Belldandy waited for her to continue patiently. She smiled serenely in her direction as she continued to watch the Valkyrie perform several preservation rites over the corpse.

"Listen, you were the best," Lind finally grunted through her teeth. "There was no one who could compete with you, but you flaunted our rules. Your entire family did. What does that look like to the rest of us?" she asked.

"I made a choice and I am willing to live with my actions," Belldandy replied. "If you must know, the council has blessed my decision as they believe that my special circumstances will be necessary in the coming years," Belldandy spoke. "I considered us friends Lind, do you hate me now?" her demeanor changed as she eyed Lind with a sad gaze.

"Of course not," Lind sighed. She finished with the body, stood, and clasped her hands in prayer.

Belldandy followed suite and the pair bowed their heads and closed their eyes.

"Lord, take this body unto your embrace and bring her into your home," Lind incanted as a bright flash of light encompassed the corpse of Kaname.

"Amen," the pair sermonized in unison.

The body vanished in a flash and where once was gore and damage was now clean and sparkling. "It is done," Lind sighed before facing Belldandy. "No one hates you, but you did something none of us understand," she gestured towards Belldandy and her arms. "I'm not going to beat around the bush, are you ready for the real consequences?"

"What do you mean?" Belldandy asked her with a calm tenor in her voice that masked any emotions she may really be feeling.

"We both know that Valkyrie Antoinette wasn't an instructor. She was in your class," Lind offered.

"Are you implying?" Belldandy left the words hanging in the air.

"There was an agreement that Skuld needed to be eliminated. How could you bring Hild onto our sacred grounds?" Lind spat.

Belldandy faltered for a moment but regained her composure nearly instantly. "I was assured that there was a misunderstanding by Antoinette," she offered with quickly diminishing confidence.

"Why Hild?" Lind questioned more forcefully.

"She was concerned," Belldandy replied slowly. "She came in her child form and I believe it was obvious she was no threat to our order. I explained myself to our superiors and there was no animosity," Belldandy spoke quickly. "Why do you believe Antoinette was going to harm Skuld?"

"I turned down the job," Lind replied before turning to face her back to Belldandy. "I couldn't do it," she stated firmly before vanishing.

"No," Belldandy shook her head. She sniffled several times as she wiped at her eyes with her finger tips. "It isn't true," she denied aloud before turning towards the kitchen. She approached the doorway and peered towards the kitchen table where Keiichi sat with his head supported by his hands.

"This isn't right," he spoke without looking up. "Why?" he continued to press.

"The Valkyries would never harm Urd or Skuld," Belldandy spoke to him calmly. "I can assure you Mr. Keiichi that this entire situation will be cleared in due time. I am sure of it," she nodded several times.

"It doesn't make sense," Keiichi stated before placing his hands down on the table and looking up at Belldandy. "I don't think you should go back to your Valkyrie people. They are going to do something bad," he offered tepidly.

"Mr. Keiichi! I can assure you that the Valkyries are firmly in the realm of the good!" Belldandy nearly exploded as she lurched forward into the room. She froze in her tracks as her charge winced at her outburst. "I'm sorry, but you will see, that all will be better soon," Belldandy continued as she held up her hands and approached Keiichi. She grabbed the back of a chair and drew it close to him before placing her arms around him as she sat beside him. "I love you Mr. Keiichi," she spoke delicately.

"I love you too Belldandy," Keiichi replied as he closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck.

\scenebreak

"We are here," Sousuke spoke softly as he pulled the lumbering Charger into the drive way of a nondescript home tucked away near Nekomi Institute. The building itself was the epitome of normal with a small fence, room for their single car out front, and a clone like visage of the two flanking homes. He turned in his seat to peer into the backseat where Skuld was currently sleeping.

"We are here," Urd confirmed with a pained expression on her face. She did not seem as pleased with the normal home as she was with her corner of the temple. "Thank you," she spoke with a pained echo that left little to the imagination. "I am sure we will love it here," she continued.

Sousuke fought back the urge to audibly sigh as another pang of guilt crashed in his chest. He reached out for Urd and paused for a moment. He could see her looking down at his out stretched hand and he wished with his entire being that he could read her mind.

"It's going to be fine," Urd spoke softly. She reached up with her hand and intertwined her fingers with his before squeezing encouragingly. "We should get inside and see what it is like," she stated.

Sousuke nodded and spread his fingers to detach from Urd and her grasp. He switched off the vehicle and unbuckled his belt before opening his door and looking out at the quiet neighborhood. "Looks like a nice enough place," he spoke as he closed the door softly.

Urd exited the vehicle and turned to the back seat. She shook her head as she peered in through the window at Skuld. "Well, should we leave her?" she asked playfully towards Sousuke.

"The key will be under the front floor mat," Sousuke stated in reply as he made his way to the side of the car, opened the back seat door, and reached in to scoop Skuld up. He cradled her close to his chest as she opened one eye, gazed out at her surroundings, and then cuddled in close to his neck before whispering something about broken flanges.

"I just had your egg and you are carrying her?" Urd questioned with mock indignation in her voice.

"Wait here. I will come back and carry you next," he replied in the hopes of placating her.

"Oh come on, I am just kidding," Urd sighed as she led the way to the front of the house. She snapped her fingers and the key tucked under the mat zipped to her hand. She ignored it and snapped again with her free hand and the door itself unlocked and moved out of the way instantly.

"I think there was some confusion," Sousuke chuckled as he crossed the threshold. Inside the living room were two crates. One crate had the words 'CHARGE DEMOLITION M112 - High Explosive' emblazoned on it in large black block lettering. The second, in similar regalia, had text that read 'Emergency Survival Kit'.

"They must have thought we might need toys for the baby," Urd stated calmly as she walked past the boxes. She reached between her breasts and withdrew the egg. She began to coo and speak to it as she began to explore the house.

Sousuke hefted Skuld and made his way in tow of Urd. He hoped the bedrooms were better equipped than the living room for two Goddesses. He was growing nervous that Hild hadn't delivered their things.

"This is for Skuld," Urd stated as she passed a closed door. She had simply pointed at it. "I can hear machinery inside," she continued. She snapped her fingers and the door opened. The room looked exactly like Skuld's had back at the temple.

Sousuke entered the room and lay Skuld down on her futon. He reached down and removed her shoes before looking to Urd. "Could you please?" he asked.

Urd chuckled and snapped her fingers. She had removed Skuld's clothing and placed her under the blanket with the spell. She then pointed down the hall.

"Us?" Sousuke asked as he stepped over several electronic devices that even he could not identify on his way out of the room. He entered the hallway and shut the door softly.

"Yes," Urd replied. She cradled the egg close to her side and pointed at Sousuke. Her eyes squinted as she grinned dangerously at him.

Sousuke felt his feet leave the floor as he was dragged through the air without his compulsion. He couldn't move his body but he was floating through the air behind Urd as she made her way towards the master bedroom. "What are you doing?" he asked her.

Urd stopped and considered him with narrowed eyes. She grinned devilishly at him before rotating around and raising her hand. She continued to drag him through the air wordlessly until she had brought him into the room fully. She crossed her arms and the door slammed shut violently.

"Urd," Sousuke asked cautiously as he eyed her. She was staring back impassively. "Are you all right?" he continued.

"What brings a mere mortal like you into my realm?" she asked him.

Sousuke tried to tilt his head as he shot her a curious gaze. He was still frozen in the air.

"You dare challenge the Princess of Hell?" she asked again. She bent at the waist slightly, covered her knees with her hands, and then slowly drew her body back to full height. Her clothing transfigured as she made the motion into a black and spike covered suit of material that seemed very much like leather. She snapped her fingers and Sousuke fell from his perch in the air onto his feet. He now wore an array of armor and other accoutrement similar to what he expected a knight in a movie might have.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Urd stated as she held up her hands. "Your safe word is banana split," she explained.

"Banana split?" Sousuke questioned her as he continued to look down at his clothing. His chest armor was emblazoned with a large red cross and he appeared to be dressed as some kind of Holy crusader.

"Yep," Urd nodded before her demeanor returned to a more predatory form. She grinned wildly as she removed the egg from between her breasts. She summoned a pillow, placed the egg on top, and then covered it with a lining of cloth she made appear before opening a drawer in a nearby nightstand and placing the egg inside. She then incanted a quick spell of protection over the night stand.

"Now then. Ele' dear, could you assist me with this terrible crusader for good?" she spoke aloud. She laughed maniacally as World of Elegance materialized into physical existence wearing no clothes. She snaked her way like a wisp from down low around Sousuke, behind him, and then intertwined her arms under his. She had him pinned in a headlock.

\scenebreak

Skuld awoke suddenly. She scrambled out of bed and looked about her room in a haze. She wondered where her clothes were as she looked down at her nude body. The tiny Goddess felt her mind bend as she realized that her room had a window that faced out towards the side of a home she had never seen before. Every item in the room appeared to have been placed almost precisely where it would have been back at the temple.

"What the hell?" Skuld questioned aloud as she snapped her fingers and found herself clothed and refreshed. She racked her mind as she attempted to remember exactly how she had found herself where she was. She remembered being assaulted by the Valkyrie, rescued, and then doing harm to Kaname Chidori. Her hand made its way to her forehead without thought. She began to rub where her facial markings no longer existed.

There was little to do but face the world. Skuld made her way to the door and reached for the handle. She paused, opened her fingers and thrust her palm towards the handle. A slow wispy energy slunk from her wrist, gripped the handle, and wobbled the handle until the door clicked and slid backwards towards herself. "Handy," she whispered to herself.

The home she was in was silent. She knew there was magic at work and she contemplated tearing down the wards and kicking her way into Sousuke and Urd's room. She wanted to yell, rage, and fight. She never knew she could be both restless as well as depressed at the same time. "What now?" she wondered as she faced away from the room down the hall and began to walk towards the living room.

"C-4," Skuld breathed as she sniffed the air. She approached the crate of explosives, eyed it for several seconds, and then allowed her attention to fall on the survival crate. She snapped her fingers and the walls of the crate fell away to reveal backpacks, water, and other sundries. She reached down and pressed her finger tips through the plastic covering the water bottles in order to extricate one for herself. She opened it and drank deeply before discarding the empty bottle on a nearby table.

Skuld entered the kitchen and began to rummage about as she contemplated calling Shinji. She felt the strength in her legs and arms drain every time she thought of him. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him as a failure. "Nope," she spoke aloud to herself as she squatted next to the refrigerator. She had opened one of the cabinets and was currently staring up towards a telephone she located attached to the side of the fridge.

Her ears perked and she realized quickly that Urd and Sousuke were stirring from their room. She could hear the door opening and the sound of foot steps. The person was trying to be quiet. She listened as the door to her room opened slowly and then closed.

Skuld closed the door to the cabinet and turned to face the door. She waited patiently until Sousuke filled the archway of the door. She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to blame him for ruining her life. She felt strange. She wanted to blame him for what she had done.

"Good morning," Sousuke spoke to her slowly. He seemed to be genuinely concerned about her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked softly. He yawned scratched at the scar on his face as he watched her.

Skuld felt her voice flee. She couldn't bring herself to reply. She stood in silence, staring at him. She was afraid that if she spoke she would say things she didn't really mean.

"I know that this is going to be weird, and I apologize for this," Sousuke spoke. He smelled like sex and nervousness to Skuld, she felt repugnance and he fell silent as her eyes narrowed.

Skuld ended the conversation by turning towards the counter, opening one of the higher cabinets and moving to her tip toes. She reached out for a box of cereal but stopped and dropped back to her feet. She sighed, snapped her fingers, and walked out of the room past Sousuke with the now flying box trailing behind her.

Sousuke moved to the side wordlessly as he watched her vanish back into her room. He felt a pang of guilt deep in his chest and wondered if he should initiate conversation again. He received his answer as her bedroom door slammed shut and glowed a bright orange for several seconds. She had cast some kind of spell on the door.

Urd exited their room and stomped angrily down the hall way. She held the egg in her left hand tucked close to her body. She waved her right hand rapidly towards the door and the orange glow returned before fading away. "Hey! Just because you are pissed off doesn't give you the right to booby trap your door!" Urd screamed out. "You could hurt Sousuke!"

"Urd, it's all right," Sousuke spoke to her as he raised his hands up and faced his palms toward her. He tried to placate her as she whirled to face him.

"This door could have blown off your hands if you had knocked!" Urd yelled angrily. "If she thinks being a demon is hard, let's see how she likes it when she has to be a demon with my foot hanging out of her ass!" Urd continued to scream.

"She is having a hard time right now," Sousuke spoke. He gestured for Urd to approach him with one hand as he pointed to the kitchen with the other. "Let's just sit down and have breakfast," she urged her.

"Ugh!" Urd growled. She stomped through the hall and past Sousuke in a huff. "I swear, you treat her too nice. Am I going to be the bad cop with our child?" she asked him through grit teeth.

"Yes," Sousuke stated as he nodded his head several times before allowing his chin to fall to his chest. He tried to look suitably abashed as he cracked a grin. "I make no promises as to my ability to reprimand our child," he stated before making his way to the refrigerator.

Urd rolled her eyes as she watched him open the door to the fridge. She shook her head several times before snapping her fingers once. The table was immediately set with an array of breakfast foods that included miso soup, assorted meats, and several types of juice. "Good?" she inquired.

"You are the best cook I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," Sousuke confirmed as he shut the door of the fridge and approached the table. "Should we invite Skuld?" he asked.

urd sighed before placing a single digit against her cheek. She concentrated for several seconds before nodding her head in the negative. "She would rather eat cereal alone," she spoke before sitting at the table.

"You can communicate telepathically?" Sousuke asked her with a hint of surprise.

"Sure, but this time I just made the decision for her," Urd cracked a grin as she grabbed a plate of bacon.

Sousuke chuckled as he began to eat as well. "No eggs?" he asked softly.

Urd replied by offering him their child playfully.

\scenebreak

Marller leaned her chin on the palm of her hand as she spoke casually with the group sitting around the large table with her. "I think he will be a bigger benefit to you all than you may think," she spoke.

"Is he cute?" a dark skin woman questioned.

"He is your Princesses future husband," a bald man with a lined face replied snappishly. "Can you not stop thinking about laying on your back Husna, for more than a minute?" he questioned her as he shook his head. He sighed.

"Just when I think about you," Husna replied cattily. She grinned a wide smile that made her immaculately white teeth stand out against her dark skin. "Are you threatened by the human?" she pressed. "Well, Walter?" she continued to ask.

"No," Walter grumbled. "Lay it on me Marller," the man spoke as he faced her. "Are we just going to be baby sitting this feller or is he the real deal?"

"He has plenty of confirmed kills and has been a soldier since he was a child," Marller offered in reply. She shrugged softly before pointing towards Husna. "He has scars and is really nice for also being a cold blooded killer. You will like him," she nodded as she spoke.

"Fun," Husna grinned. She reached up to adjust the circlet and chains that she wore over her close cropped hair. "I am really looking forward to meeting him," she spoke excitedly. "It's been a long time since I have smelled a human," she continued.

"Oh lord," Walter grumbled as he side eyed Husna. "I'll keep him out of trouble," the man spoke to Marller. He sighed deeply. "I feel like we are just doing the Queen a favor," he continued.

"Well, you are in a way, but I don't think it will be as bad as you think," Marller continued to explain. "That brings us to the real reason we needed to have this meeting in person," Marller fought back a grin as she spoke to the pair.

"Oh lord," Walter rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "What now?" he asked.

"Someone is going to have to," Marller stopped mid sentence as Husna nearly tipped over her chair.

The dark skinned demoness raised her hand as she stood and placed the palm of her other hand out on the table. "Me! I'll do it! What ever it is!" she exclaimed animatedly.

"You don't even know what she needs!" Walter barked in frustration as he shook his head.

"Don't care. I'll do it!" she nearly shouted.

"I need someone to go with me to pick him up and bring him back to Hell for a tour of the main level, an introduction on how to get here, and other basics," Marller grinned as she stared at Husna. "They have to help him get his uniform as well," she continued.

"I can do it!" Husna seemed to be vibrating with excitement as she looked back and forth between Walter and Marller. "I haven't seen Earth proper since I died. Please let me go!" she pleaded with the pair as her eyes shined.

"You died in the year 710," Walter began to speak. He paused as the eager demoness interrupted him.

"706," she interjected.

"I died in 1994," he continued as he narrowed his eyes at her. He reveled in teasing her. "Don't you think it would be better if I went," he continued.

"No," Husna spoke adamantly. "I can do this. Please," she continued to beg.

"I don't know Marller, what do you think?" Walter spoke as he turned to face Marller. His face wrinkled into a smile.

"Sure, I am going too. I am fine with it," she finally replied.

"Fine, you can be on the welcome wagon girl," Walter grumbled. He shook his head and grinned a toothy smile that indented the lines in his face deeply. "But if you get your ass yanked up by the Princess, don't you come crying to me," he finalized.

"Absolutely," Husna replied as she nodded her head rapidly. "You won't hear a single complaint about me," she assured the pair as she grinned wildly. "But can we stop by and get lunch in the human realm?" she inquired softly.

"Oh hell," Walter sighed as Marller began to laugh.


	13. Ah! A Goddess Waves Good Bye!

"I have brought the corpse of the human woman known as Kaname Chidori," Lind spoke aloud as she stood within a room that appeared to be made of stone. The marble floor, walls, and roof shone with a supernatural light that focused to illuminate a single large stone in the center of the room. Upon the stone lay the shroud covered body of Kaname.

"Your actions bring honor on the Valkyries," a booming voice filled the room. "You will receive another assignment," the voice left no room for interpretation.

"What is the will of the divine?" Lind questioned as she knelt. Her shoulders trembled softly as she bowed her head. She prayed internally that she would not be ordered to kill Belldandy or Keiichi Morisato.

"Fret not child, your heart is too kind and this we know," the voice cut the air like a knife. "You will tend to the ritual of resurrection upon this woman. Should the ritual be a success, you will be in charge of her future," the voice of the divine finished. The oppressive holy presence in the room was lifted and Lind felt much lighter as she stood.

Lind stretched her arms over her head for several seconds before she placed her hands on her hips and arced her back. She turned and faced the shrouded corpse of Kaname Chidori. "I guess it is just you and me now," she smirked as she spoke to the body.

The oppressive silence in the room hung heavy over the pair. The only sound in the chamber was the steady breathing of Lind herself. She continued to speak aloud to the body as she fought away the feeling of desperation that the resurrection tomb could impress on a Goddess. "We will summon your soul from purgatory, reattach your astral cord, and return you to the realm of existence," she explained to no one but herself. She felt it was respectful to still treat the battered corpse as a person.

Lind approached the body. Her foot steps echoed within the room and the sound of her own movement startled her. She sighed deeply before reaching down and gripping the shroud. She drew it back and away to reveal the face of Kaname. "I don't understand what you saw in him," she spoke aloud as she shuffled around towards her head.

The soft sound of singing began to raise in volume as Coolmint and Spearmint, the angels of Lind, materialized on either side of the body. The pair of one winged angels began to belt out a sonorous song that was absolutely deafening within the confines of the tomb. The moment their voices erupted into existence, the air began to fill with a dancing fox fire that permeated the room with deep crackling chords of energy.

Lind allowed her eyes to dance from angel to angel as she felt charged by the sweeping waves of energy that were attracted by the voices of her companions.

\scenebreak

Lind sat quietly within the confines of the tomb like structure that was often used for private rites such as the one she was performing. She held her knees and watched patiently from the floor as she waited for any sign of activity from the body of Kaname Chidori. She could see a linen covered foot from her perch on the floor. The Valkyrie sighed.

Spearmint and Coolmint stood guard over the body. The pair had finished their songs and now they waited like beautiful statues. They were perfectly still with their hands clasped in prayer still flanking the blue haired woman. The movement of Spearmint caused Lind to jerk nervously.

"What is it?" Lind questioned as she stood rapidly. The pair of Angels were both peering down at the body with inquisitive looks on their face. "Is she awake?" Lind questioned the pair as she rushed towards the head of the body. She could see that the wound that had once caved in the side of the cranium was now a simple mash of scarring. She hoped that Kaname was not vain.

"Are you among the living?" Lind questioned as she gazed down at Kaname. She waited for an answer and her breath hitched as Kaname's lips parted. Her eyes opened slowly and she appeared to be attempting to take in what was happening around her. "Just calm down," Lind spoke.

Kaname attempted to speak. Her lips moved softly and she blew air over her teeth, but the words she tried to formulate never coalesced. She coughed and spluttered until a stream of drool leaked down the edge of her lips. Her body was racked with shakes.

"Too soon," Lind chastised her. "You are still reconnecting to your body. You will lack control for some time if the connection holds," she continued to explain.

Kaname groaned deep and guttural.

"Be still child," Lind urged her softly. The Goddess sighed softly again as she reached out and began to stroke her skull where her injury was. "You will carry scars but you will live again. You will have purpose. I cannot promise you a happy life," Lind whispered to her. "I can promise you an interesting life," she continued to speak before allowing her vision to flicker up towards her two Angels.

"Sousuke," Kaname groaned out as her eyes leaked a mixture of tears and blood.

"Not here," Lind shook her head as she spoke to the woman below her. "You are in Heaven," she paused as she watched Kaname stare at her with a stricken face. "Oh don't worry, you aren't dead any more," she tried to assure her.

Kaname looked panicked.

"I never was good at dealing with humans," Lind sighed. She caught movement in the corner of her eyes and watched as Spearmint and Coolmint made their way towards an empty sector of the room. The two Angels began to move their hands slowly as they incanted spells and began to summon artifacts onto the ground near Kaname's feet.

"Help," Kaname choked out between her grit teeth. She began to wiggle and shudder as she fought to move her body.

"Stop struggling," Lind demanded. Her angry and commanding tone seemed to only spur Kaname on to more action. The Goddess sighed exasperatedly as she reached out to hold Kaname down onto the slab. "You are going to break the chord before it has time to set!" she exclaimed angrily.

Kaname froze as Lind lay hands on her. She whimpered pitifully as her eyes darted about. "Hurt," she continued to speak.

"I'm sure," Lind groaned exasperatedly. "It's going to hurt a lot more if you don't stop causing problems," she grumbled at her as her attention fell on the still busy Angels. "What is that?" she questioned.

Coolmint looked towards Lind before wordlessly reaching down and lifting the two handed sword from the ground. She twirled it artfully for a few moments before twisting it point down and shoving the weapon deep into the floor. It rattled softly before stilling. Spearmint lifted a chain vest and a helmet and placed them next to the sword. The pair of Angels then pointed towards Kaname in unison.

Lind nodded once before returning her full attention towards Kaname. "Looks like you are going to go back to school," she spoke carefully. She thought for several seconds before contorting her lips into an uneasy smile. She hoped she looked supportive as Kaname stared up at her face with a look of terror in her eyes. Lind sighed again.

"Sleep," Lind spoke forcefully. She waved her hand slowly over the face of Kaname and her eyes instantly shut. Her ragged breathing slowed to a more appropriate pace and she seemed much more peaceful. "That does that," Lind spoke aloud as she looked towards the Angels. The two Angels gave her what appeared to be a disapproving look. Lind pointedly ignored them.

Lind clasped her hands into a prayer position and bowed her head. She took several deep breathes as she began to concentrate on refreshing herself. She incanted a soft prayer and felt instantly energized. She cleared her mind, relaxed, and then began to pray for Kaname. She imagined with a deep conviction that Kaname was well anchored to her astral string, that she was regenerating from her injuries, and imagined the entire room filling with holy light.

Lind allowed herself to become lost in the ecstatic guided imagery. She could feel herself glowing as she tried to impress a healing light on her once dead charge. She allowed her normal perception of time and space to fade as she tried to meld with the divine. She wanted to help this human with every thing she had.

\scenebreak

"Is she ever going to cheer up?" Sousuke inquired. He sat at the kitchen table, a steaming mug of coffee before him. He stared out into the back yard where Skuld currently sat on the grass. She appeared to be staring into the sky with a blank stare. She was wearing a pair of boy shorts and a small cut off shirt. It almost seemed like she had no interest in changing into her normal clothes any more.

"Not every one is as resilient as you," Urd replied as she turned to look out the window as well. She allowed her eyes to flicker to Skuld for a short period of time before she returned to paying attention to a cross word puzzle she was working on. "What is a four letter word for a letter from Nigeria?" she asked aloud.

"Spam," Sousuke replied as he continued to stare at Skuld. He scratched at his cheek as he concentrated on thinking of ways to help her.

"Thanks," Urd replied as she scribbled on the news paper with a feather quill. "We should have Spam and rice for lunch," she continued to speak. She looked towards Sousuke and a momentarily sad look crossed her face. "Would you stop stressing? This isn't the end of the world," she urged.

"I can't help but feel that Skuld blames me. Don't you?" he pressed before reaching down and lifting the mug to his lips. He took a sip before replacing the mug on the table.

"Well, you did single handedly fertilize the egg. All by your self. Just you," Urd replied sarcastically. "No one blames you," she exclaimed exasperatedly.

Sousuke felt his chest ache as Skuld turned at the neck to flicker her eyes toward him for a split second before returning to looking up at the sky. The speed at which she did it made him wonder if he imagined it. He wondered if she was listening to them.

"We have a load of C-4. Isn't there something we could do to make sadness go away?" Sousuke sighed wistfully.

Urd chuckled as she shook her head. "No, C-4 doesn't make sadness go away," she replied.

"It does for me," Sousuke replied.

"Of course it does," Urd fought back a laugh.

"Aren't you angry?" Sousuke finally asked.

"Of course I am. This is absolutely unfair and totally ridiculous," Urd sighed as she placed the newspaper and quill down on the table. "There is absolutely no reason that Skuld and I should have lost our citizenship. Neither of us did anything wrong," she spoke adamantly.

"Why did they do this? If Hild was right, they tried to assassinate Skuld. I can't let that go," Sousuke seemed to be wrestling with his perceptions of Heaven and Hell. "Aren't they Angels and Goddesses? Don't they have the moral high ground?" he questioned.

"Hah!" Urd harrumphed as she shook her head. "They have about as much morality as any other political institution," she spat.

"Why did you want to be a Goddess so badly then?" Sousuke asked her. He had a pained and confused look on his face.

"I was young and stupid," Urd replied. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to work for either side. I really did fall for the perception. They are Angels and Goddesses. They are the true and rightful owners of all that is good. Then they justify killing my sister, my unhatched child, and my husba-boyfriend," she appeared livid.

"So what really changed?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she cocked her head.

"You were a 'Goddess' and now you are a demon, but you are still Urd. Skuld doesn't have some face tattoos, but what does it really change? Just the title?" he tried to explain his question.

Urd fell silent. She reached between her breasts to stroke the egg for several seconds before speaking again. "It's the principal of things. She is a Goddess. We both are. We were. Now we are relegated to living amongst the people we were always taught were the enemies. We are the bad guys," she finally breathed.

"There is always a bad guy," Sousuke shrugged. "Some would think I was the bad guy too," he replied calmly. "Every one is the bad guy to some one."

Urd stood and turned to face the hall way. "Expecting company?" she asked him.

"Is it Marller?" Sousuke asked. He stood as well before lifting the mug and starting the walk to the front room.

"Plus others," Urd confirmed. The door bell rang and she began to follow Sousuke to the front door as well. As she followed, she waved her hand and then snapped her fingers. Her clothing transfigured into a formal front split dress sans sleeves that accentuated her tattoos. She also warped the clothing that Sousuke wore into a pair of jeans and a button up white shirt. She smiled.

"Thanks," Sousuke spoke as he peered through the eye hole on the door. He spotted Marller and unlocked the door before pulling it open to reveal the small entourage of demons on the door step. "Greetings Marller," he spoke before stepping back and gesturing them into the home.

"Good Morning Sousuke," Marller replied easily as she stepped beside Husna. "This is Husna and she will be your liaison," Marller introduced the beautiful Demoness.

"Salaam. It's a pleasure to meet you," Husna spoke up as she placed her right fist over her breast and bowed her head slightly.

"Salaam," Sousuke replied with a nod.

Husna allowed her eyes to flicker from Sousuke to Urd and they grew in size several times over as she looked shocked. "Princess Urd," Husna dropped to one knee as her eyes fell to the floor. She trembled as she held a position of submission. "Princess Urd," Husna spoke reverently.

"Hello," Urd shifted uncomfortably as she mustered up a smile and reached out to place a hand on the demon womans shoulder. "Please, stand. I am just Urd," she tried to allow her voice to sound inviting as she urged the woman to her feet. "Welcome to our home. I am trusting you to take care of Sousuke for me," she continued to speak.

"Yes! Anything for the Princess," Husna gushed as she rose to her feet and clasped her hands in front of her breasts. Her eyes shimmered as she stared at Urd. "I can't believe this," she spoke as she stared.

"Husna, you promised not to embarrass me," Marller sighed as she reached out to grab her by the arm. "Let's go," she spoke as she gestured to Sousuke and then pointed at the door.

Skuld entered the room, paused, and stared from the door way. She made eye contact with Husna for a split second before Marller pushed her and Sousuke out the door. She turned and wordlessly left the room.

"Let's go," Marller continued to growl as she herded her charges to the Charger. "Stop staring," she commanded as Husna fought to put her gaze on Urd.

"Don't forget me Princess! I will care for your husband!" Husna cried out as she waved at Urd. She continued to walk backwards until Marller had pushed her against the Charger. She finally turned and allowed herself to enter the backseat of the car under the urging of Marller.

Sousuke swiveled in the drivers seat to look at Marller as she waved one last time at Urd. She then opened the passenger door and entered the vehicle. After sitting she took a deep breath, exhaled, and crumpled in her seat as she covered her face with her hand. "I vouched for you Husna," she growled.

"Sorry. It's Urd!" Husna spoke as though her behavior was self evident by the simple presence of Urd.

"My apologies, but why is Urd so exciting to you?" Sousuke inquired as he allowed his gaze to move to the back seat.

Husna's jaw dropped as she stared incredulously at Sousuke. She seemed unable to contemplate his lack of understanding. It was an entirely foreign concept to the demoness. "Do you not know who you are sleeping with?" she asked him slowly.

"Husna," Marller growled.

"It's all right," Sousuke spoke as he reached down to twist the key and bring the motor of the vehicle to a rumbling start. He waved one last time at Urd before allowing the vehicle to lumber forward and down the street. "Where to?" he asked.

"Take us down the road to the train tracks. There is a small bridge that we want to travel beneath," Marller explained as she pointed. "The fastest way for a human to enter the realm of Hell is through an opening in the Earth. We can create a portal for the vehicle there. It's much simpler that way," she explained.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. He waited a few moments before engaging with Husna again. "Urd told me that she has not spent time in Hell in any major capacity since she was ten to fifteen years old," he spoke aloud in the hopes of spurring her into conversation.

"It is the belief of the people that she was sent to Heaven to learn of them, gather information on them, and to one day return to us to lead us all to victory, Hild willing," she spoke reverently.

"That is very interesting to me," Sousuke replied. "She has never discussed any of these things with me," he continued to speak as he spotted the bridge off in the distance.

"Just drive through the portal," Marller spoke up. She stared out the passenger window with a thoughtful look on her face.

"It is my desire to one day serve Urd as one of her chosen," Husna spoke slowly and carefully. It was obvious that she worried about how her treatment of Sousuke could potentially affect her hopes and dreams.

"So you hope she will choose you for some reason," Sousuke stated carefully.

"A succubus is a pack animal," Husna explained. "When I died, my soul was twisted by my human choices and experiences. I had little say in the matter, but I have had a long time to come to accept myself," she leaned forward as she spoke. "Today, I know deep in my spirit, that my only desire is to serve the house of Hild and her daughter Urd. They are the light on the path to all I desire," she spoke reverently.

Marller rolled her eyes deeply before carrying the motion to her chin. She flopped her head to the side and glared at Sousuke with a look of annoyance that was obviously intended for Husna. "Urd doesn't have any idea how important she is to so many people in Hell," Marller grumbled. "We grew up together and I sometimes traveled to Heaven to play and interact with her, but she doesn't know what her leaving did to these poor creatures," she continued to complain.

"I see," Sousuke spoke as he nodded once. He pressed hard on the accelerator and barreled towards the precipice of the bridge. He saw a bright purple flash and the scenery around him vanished to reveal a flat stretch of road tinted red by the endless twilight and sand all around him. He recognized Hell immediately.

"Welcome to the highway to Hell," Husna spoke excitedly as she gazed about. "Dinner in the human world though, right?" she inquired aloud.

"Yes," Marller sighed exasperatedly. "We are in what amounts to the demilitarized zone. You will be working mostly out here, but it is entirely possible you will need to go into the city at some point," Marller spoke to him calmly as she pointed straight ahead. "Once you pass through the initial gate, you will be able to see it all," she continued.

Sousuke nodded as he continued to drive on the desolate highway. He saw nothing but endless road in front of him and the humming of the road noise made him feel uneasy. "Is all of this done for security?" he asked.

"We are still at war," Marller confirmed. "We have multiple layers of physical and esoteric security built up and around the entire realm of Hell. It helps keep our friends up above honest," she confirmed.

"Don't worry, you can't get lost out here. Spend enough time out here and someone will swoop in to find out what is happening," Husna laughed as she reached out and made a gesture like a thumbs up.

"Don't crash," Marller spoke softly.

Sousuke frowned for a moment. He thought about replying to her about his perfect driving record but any thoughts of indignation were squashed as the appearance of the world around him shimmered and coalesced into a massive neon city scape. He could see buildings, lakes, and towering sky scrapers that blotted out the sky. He started for a moment as water began to splatter on the windshield.

"Welcome to the lowest level of Hell," Marller stated as she gestured towards the window. "We have regular rain fall, a bustling night life, and almost anything you could need can be found down here. We even have a fairly regular shipment of Earth goods that find their way down here on the regular," Marller explained.

"I like to shop in the sky district, it has a beautiful view of the bay," Husna spoke excitedly as she pointed in the direction of one of the neon light covered sky scrapers.

Sousuke stamped down his wonder and focused on the road. Ahead of him he could see another inner gate, two large guards flanked the entrance. He glimpsed his rear view mirror and could see a whirling mist directly behind him. He assumed that was the first gate.

"I'll get us through the gate," Marller assured him as the vehicle came to a halt beside a red skinned demon with horns who held a large three headed dog by a leash.

"Greetings," the guard began to speak but he stopped as he peered through the window at Marller. His focus fell on Sousuke and finally on Husna. "What do we owe the pleasure?" he asked in a friendly tone. The rain falling about bounced off the guard but he ignored it pointedly.

"This is Sousuke. He will be coming through this way once in a while. You all should be briefed. Please take care of him for me," she spoke cheerily as she gestured at Sousuke.

"Of course. It's a pleasure to meet you Lord," the demon spoke hastily. He faltered for a moment before extending his hand to Sousuke. "May I present to you the traditional human greeting?" he inquired.

"Just Sousuke is fine," the soldier upturned his lips in a smile as he reached out to grip the demon by the hand. The pair shook for a moment as the three headed dog looked up inquisitively at Sousuke before it's attention fell elsewhere.

"Of course Lord Sousuke," the demon confirmed before stepping back and placing his fist over his chest. "Please, enjoy your stay," he stated.

"Thank you," Sousuke replied. He double checked to make sure the working animal was clear of the vehicle before placing the Charger into drive and pulling away at a leisurely pace. "Very polite," he commented.

"He would be," Husna laughed.

"What do you mean by that?" Sousuke asked her as he continued to follow the road. He fought the urge to twist in his seat and peer back towards Husna, but he took a moment to shoot an inquisitive gaze at Marller before putting his full attention on the rapidly narrowing road.

"Oh come on," Marller sighed at Sousuke. "You mean to tell me that you don't know why he would be overly nice?" she continued to speak as she cocked her head and stared at Sousuke.

"Because of Urd?" Sousuke questioned softly.

"Because you are rumored to be the father of a Prince of Hell," Husna offered. "Is it true?" she asked bluntly.

Sousuke shrugged. "We don't know if it is a boy or a girl. Well, I don't," he replied. "I mean, it's probably a girl," he spoke softly.

Marller and Husna smiled in unison. "Why do you say that?" Marller offered as she looked up into the rear view mirror to make eye contact with Husna. "I'm sure Urd has told you," Marller continued.

"Not a word," Sousuke replied. He brought the vehicle to a stop at a red light. He took the opportunity to gaze about the streets. He could see what appeared to him to be almost normal individuals bustling about. He would sometimes catch the glimmer of fantastic jewelry or the flash of massive wings and it would remind him that he was not in a Earthly city but somewhere more wondrous.

"There," Marller spoke pointedly as she pointed towards a parking tower. Her thin hand gestured strongly towards the entrance of the stone building. "You can enter here and we will walk to the adjoining shops," she explained.

Sousuke nodded firmly as he meandered the massive vehicle into the building and stopped it in a parking spot. "The entire city shapes itself to meet the needs or wants of the citizenry?" he questioned.

"Mostly," Husna offered. She opened the door to the vehicle and hopped out as Marller and Sousuke followed in tow. "The entire city is shaped by the energy of every being within. The Queen Mother has final say in how things are shaped, but the reality is, we each see what we desire," she tried to explain.

"You don't see a bustling city?" Sousuke questioned as he began to look about.

"I see a city," Husna confirmed. She adjusted her head dress again as she attempted to coalesce her thoughts into words. "If one day every one returned to tents in the desert, perhaps the main city would mimic this," she offered.

Sousuke nodded. He seemed to understand what Husna was attempting to express to him. The trio made their way through the garage past a handful of other vehicles before finding a double door made entirely of clear glass. The door split open beckoning them in to a cavernous glut of shops.

"What is the plan?" Sousuke questioned. He allowed his eyes to sweep the room. He immediately noticed the bustling groups of fancifully dressed patrons. The majority of them seemed to be moving about their day as you would see at any Earth mall.

"We are going to see Ku," Marller replied. "She owns a store called 'God of War' and she will have everything we need," she explained easily. She began to walk forward and Husna followed her closely. "The real point of this is to familiarize yourself with the area, our people, and what this place is really like," she continued.

"I see," Sousuke nodded as he followed the pair.

The trio did not take long to reach the store. The entrance to the store was flanked by two identical dragons. There were windows filled with numerous displays of weapons, armor, and military related tools from cultures throughout time. Sousuke gaped at the spears and swords stacked with a host of rifles and mortars.

"I love this place. Ku, not so much," Husna grinned as she nearly skipped through the precipice of the door. Her eyes danced over different goods as she reached out to gingerly caress a rack of plate carriers. "I may buy a dagger today," she continued to speak as she gestured for Sousuke to approach.

"Stay focused," Marller admonished as she began to look about the shop. "Let's find Ku," she stated calmly.

Sousuke stepped backwards and placed his elbow deep between a womans breasts as she seemed to appear behind him. He jerked to a halt as he fought his urge to leave her splayed out on the ground.

"I am here," Ku spoke calmly as she held her hands up. "Who is the fighter?" She questioned softly as she looked down at Sousuke. Her lips curled into a smirk as she watched him step forward and rotate to face her with his hands held up in a ready stance.

"Ku, meet Sousuke," Marller spoke as she shook her head.

"It is my pleasure," Ku spoke to him.

Sousuke paused for a moment to run his eyes over the proprietor of the shop. She was shorter than him and appeared to be of some kind of East Asian or Pacific Islander descent. She wore a grass skirt with no shirt. Her upper body was completely nude but for the numerous tattoos upon her face, neck, and chest. He also noticed her two curved knives that hung from her belt.

"Nice to meet you," Sousuke stated softly. He relaxed his guard and returned his eyes to hers.

"Hello Ku," Husna interrupted the pair. She pointed towards a case with a soft gesture. "We have a lot of things we need to acquire but I want to look at a kukri if we have time," she spoke quickly.

"Of course," Ku replied with a nod. "What do you need Sousuke?" she returned her attention to the soldier with a curious look on her face.

"We will be purchasing an extensive set," Marller interjected. She withdrew a scroll from thin air and allowed it to unfurl. "This will contain our shopping list," she continued.

"What a rare day for someone such as you to be running errands for the Horde," Ku spoke. She reached out to take the scroll but her eyes never left Sousuke.

"We have ulterior motives," Husna spoke up. She moved slowly in an attempt to place herself well within reach of Sousuke.

"Don't we all?" Ku spoke softly. She turned, looked down at the missive in her hands, and then moved back towards the counter. "This is a strange choice," she spoke to herself. "You fight with a more modern style?" she questioned him.

"It's all the same in the end. The tools change, but the motives stay the same," Sousuke replied.

Ku paused. She looked up at the soldier and grinned. Her thick lips parted revealing a long row of white teeth. She seemed pleased with his answer. "Where will these goods be delivered?" Ku queried.

"Deliver them to my personal goblins," Marller stated. She gestured to Sousuke before pointing at a cabinet. "Pick something," she spoke with a grin.

Sousuke approached the cabinet and peered inside. A few moments later he felt Husna saddle up next to him, and the pair gazed companionably at the different odds and ends inside the glass and wood case. "This looks very expensive," Sousuke spoke softly as he gazed down at a blade that appeared to be made entirely from gold.

"The best stuff is over here," Husna stated as she pointed down into a corner. She was eye balling several blades that appeared to be of middle eastern origin. The daggers were lightly curved with sharp points and intricate pommels of beautiful and ornate design. "A good sica is worth a kings ransom," Husna breathed.

"A sica?" Sousuke questioned.

"A sicarii is a knifeman and his blade is a sica," Husna explained. "The sicarii were deadly fighters in their own right, and I always admired their handy work. Even if we do differ in our beliefs," Husna continued.

Sousuke spotted an OD green handled M9 bayonet sitting tucked next to a handful of edged weapons he could not identify other than the fact they were most likely sharp. His pointed before stating firmly, "I believe that is my choice."

"Too straight," Husna admonished. "You need a good curve to hook around a shield," she stated plainly.

"I would rather have the bayonet," he replied with a firm shake of his head.

"It's no assassins blade," Husna mused moodily as Sousuke failed to heed her warnings.

"Did you pick one also?" Marller inquired as she interrupted Husna and her complaints. "Ku, can you add these two up separate and bill them directly to me?" she asked.

Ku grunted in the affirmative before making her way around the cabinet, opening the glass, and retrieving the two weapons that Sousuke and Husna had chosen. "Good choice," Ku spoke softly as she lifted the bayonet from where it lay. She juggled the knife between her fingers before balancing it on the top of her hand. After several seconds she flipped it up into the air with a jerk of her wrist before catching it by the handle and slipping it into a sheathe. "Very good," she continued.

"It isn't even sharp," Husna spoke softly with a scowl etched deep on her features.

"It is a fighters weapon," Ku spoke to Husna as she lifted the sica and dropped it unceremoniously into a sheathe as well. "It holds no deception," she held a strange but hard tone in her voice that made Sousuke uncomfortable. "Not the weapon of a whore," she nearly spat.

Husna grinned devilishly in reply. "Is that a promotion from poisoner?" Husna inquired calmly.

Ku glared at her but did not reply. "Take your tools," she stated as she held out the weapons to Sousuke and Husna. "Marller, the rest of your goods will be delivered to you as you desired," she continued.

"Thank you Ku," Marller stated before gesturing to the exit. "Let's go," she stated firmly.

"Strangest store I have ever been in," Sousuke spoke up as they made their way to the door.

"Ku grows on you," Husna shrugged. "She is one of the originals. She is very powerful but she lives for conflict. No idea why she opened a store but I assume it keeps her from getting bored," she explained.

"Is she within the ranks of the military forces here?" Sousuke queried.

"No," Marller spoke with a shake of her head. "She gets in trouble for picking fights, runs her store, and has a bad habit of trying to goad people into challenging her," she shrugged as she spoke. "Ku is Ku and she does what she does," she finished.

Sousuke nodded. "What happens next?" he asked.

"We go on the grand tour," Husna spoke excitedly. "We can do some more shopping and then we will travel around the city for a bit," she recited her version of the itinerary as she gestured about at the countless stores. "So many wonderful things I would never have been able to see when I was alive," she practically gushed.

"Would it offend you if I asked when you died?" Sousuke inquired as the trio walked three abreast on the walkway with him in the middle.

"Sometime during the time of Rome," Husna replied cheerily. "My family was laid upon by bandits as we traveled north through Africa. Eventually I was rescued by a passing patrol of Roman Soldiers who helped myself and three others to make our way to a small settlement in what you would know as north Africa," she held a steady smile as she spoke.

"I see," Sousuke spoke with a nod. Ku and her rude comments seemed to make more sense to him as he began to infer about Husna and her background from her story.

"I was rescued from slavery as a servant to the bandit horde and pressed into service as a slave for the Roman horde," she continued to speak. "I was eventually crucified for my crimes," she spoke as she looked down at her hands and wrists for several second. She squinted for a moment before returning to her normal cheery demeanor.

Sousuke did not reply. He remained silent as his eyes continued to survey the bustling throngs about them.

"One time, I got a terrible paper cut," Marller stated as her eyes flickered from Sousuke and over to Husna. She winked and pulled her lips into a smirk before shaking her head softly. "So now that you depressed him, am I going to have to buy us ice cream too?" she scowled.

"Marller is a motherly figure with fathomless empathy," Husna spoke. She rolled her eyes and nodded her head slowly before touching the edge of her hand with her lips and rolling it forward. "He asked and I did not lie," she continued as she shook her head.

"Lie next time," Marller replied with a grin and a mockery of the gesture. "How did you die? I was smothered by a fluffy pile of beautiful puppies with wagging tails," she offered.

Sousuke chuckled when he looked towards Husna and spied the pursed lips and sour look on her face.

"Tell us about yourself," Husna finally questioned as she gestured towards a shop filled with beautiful and vibrant colored clothing similar to the sari of India. The trio entered the store and Husna began to browse.

"I was an orphan," Sousuke offered. "I became a soldier and fought in several conflicts. I became an Arm Slave pilot... Giant Robot," he corrected himself as her eyes flickered to him at the word Slave. "I received a discharge and decided to go to school. I met Urd," Sousuke paused as he watched Husna place her hand over her breast at the mention of Urd. He saw her lips move softly and realized she was offering a blessing.

"Then?" Marller inquired.

"I ended up here," Sousuke finished.

"This is a man who is good with the lies," Husna spoke with a nod. "One moment he is with the school books and the next he is in the arms of the Princess," Husna nodded her head as she removed an intricately woven tunic from a hanger and held it up to herself. "At what point did you battle the puppies?" she inquired.

Sousuke couldn't help himself and he guffawed. He fought down the action and grimaced his face. "Sometime before I got here," he continued.

Marller smiled wide before offering a thumbs up to Husna. "I like that one," she confirmed.

"Me too," Husna replied as she flickered her eyes over Sousuke. She then arched her eye brows suggestively before making her way to the counter to pay for her choice.

The three returned to making their way through the shopping center. "Do you usually do such a thorough tour of the mall?" Sousuke inquired.

Marller stretched her arms over her head for a bit as she groaned before dropping them back down to her sides. "It's relatively safe here," she stated. "I want you to know that normalcy exists here," she explained. "It isn't all pitch forks, gnashing teeth, and the screams of the damned," she stated as she allowed her hands to gesture outwards.

"Those are the good parts. Not the only parts," Husna confirmed with a cheeky grin.

Sousuke nodded. "You think you need me to imprint on the citizens. I should find some kind of sympathy for them," he stated.

"Yes," Marller replied with a hard look.

"I would do anything for Urd and Hild," Sousuke replied without a waver in his voice. "If they point, it will be done," he stated firmly.

Husna repeated her incantation but her face held admiration. "These are good intentions," she confirmed.

Marller smirked and nodded. "Don't get yourself hurt," she finished.

Sousuke, Marller, and Husna finished their tour of the shopping center without incident. Sousuke could tell that many took time to look at him or seemed to recognize Marller, but none seemed to have the desire to bother them. He found it comforting that the citizens of Hell seemed to be no different than the citizens of any other city he had spent time in.

"We won't begin the tour of the facilities until you are completely on boarded. You will be given a tour of the armory, our main post, and if we have time I will take you to meet the caretakers of our dragons," Marller explained. "You are going to be spending some more time dealing with our friends from up above as well," she grumbled.

"Dragons?" Sousuke inquired as he turned and looked.

"Air superiority," Husna spoke with a grin. She paused before stating the name "Walter," as though it explained her use of the words.

"Major Walter Cummins," Marller interjected as Sousuke turned his attention back on her. "He kept his title from his time in the United States Army, but he would hold the rank of Knight if he took his title from our pool," Marller continued.

"I like Walter," Husna spoke with a friendly tone. "He is a good warrior. Honorable. He don't take no shit," her voice grew increasingly tinged with a southern accent as she mimicked the speech patterns of the Major. She grinned wide.

Sousuke nodded. He began to grow increasingly nervous as he realized more of the citizens were now peering at him. He could see some of them whispering conspiratorially and it concerned him. "Marller, some of these people are eye balling us," he spoke low as he kept his face neutral. He jerked his eyes in the direction of three females who were huddled together gesturing at them.

"I see," Marller replied. She peered at the group before raising her hand and waving lightly. The three women reacted immediately as they approached at the beckoning of the gesture.

Sousuke let his knees bend lightly and he prepared for action as he watched the three approach. His reserves of trust were running on empty.

"Are you Marller?" asked one of the women. She wore a blue tee shirt with what appeared to be some kind of logo on the front.

"I am," Marller replied with a nod before looking towards Sousuke to verify his position.

"Are you Sousuke?" she continued her questioning.

Sousuke grit his teeth as he nodded once. He felt some modicum of relief as Husna nonchalantly moved to stand closer to him. He could see her swiveling her head about slowly and her vigilance helped his focus hone to a razor sharp point.

"Can we take a picture with you?" the girl asked before her friends burst into giggles. "We heard that Princess Urd had a mate and he would be working here in Hell," she gushed rapidly as she began to dig in her purse.

Sousuke tensed.

The girl sighed before removing what appeared to be a cell phone from the bag. "Please?" she begged as she smiled intently at them.

Sousuke looked towards Marller before turning to look at Husna. He shrugged as he made eye contact with Husna and she jerked her chin lightly towards the girls.

"How did you hear about this?" Marller inquired in a friendly tone. "I wasn't aware it had gotten out yet," she explained.

"It was in some magazines. They say he fought during the big battle for Hell and there is a rumor that Princess Urd is going to live with him," the girl spoke before dipping her head with an embarrassed look about her.

"Interesting," Sousuke stated before gesturing to the phone. "How do you want to do this?" he asked.

"Could you take our picture?" the girl asked Husna as she extended the phone to her.

Husna nodded and took the phone from the girl before taking several steps back and pointing at the group. "Bunch up," she stated.

Sousuke lifted his arm and placed it gingerly around Marller at the shoulder before starting as the three women surged forward to wrap arms around him. The girls smiled wide and laughed as they each tried to pose gleefully with him.

"Say Op Sec!" Husna called out before snapping a shot of the group together.

Sousuke felt his lips curl into a sneer as the flash on the phone erupted. A few moments later he was shaking hands with the young ladies before Marller gestured in the direction of the exit.

"We should go," Husna urged them as she began to look about the increasingly growing crowd. Others who were concerned about missing out on what ever event was happening were beginning to approach and it was concerning.

"Didn't think news about you would get out yet, but I am not surprised," Marller sighed as the trio began to make their way to the car.

"Why am I famous?" Sousuke questioned before falling silent. He shook his head. "Urd is royalty here and people love her. It's only natural they would be interested in me. They would also have magic and skills I couldn't imagine," he explained to himself before looking at Marller.

Marller nodded in unison with Husna. "Welcome to Hell," the pair stated at the same time.

"Thank you," Sousuke sighed.

** Authors Note **

This chapter and the following will be a lot of exposition and preparing for the future. I need to introduce a bunch of concepts that people will need to understand so I hope folks will forgive me if they don't feel as action orientated. I hope all of you are enjoying the story and have a fantastic new years. Thanks for reading!


	14. Ah! A Goddess Remembers!

Hild inhaled deeply, held her breath, and then released. She felt her shoulders droop and for a moment she contemplated running away. She knew that no one knew where she was at the moment, and she had ample opportunity to escape. The fleeting desire to flee faded and she steeled her nerves. Her hand reached up slowly and she knocked three times with a controlled tempo.

She tried to force herself to appear nonchalant and relaxed. She didn't want to appear weak or without conviction. After what felt like an eternity, the door opened and she lay eyes on her only daughter. "Hello Urd," Hild spoke with a friendly tenor. She smiled wide and tried her best to look inviting.

Urd was not able to mask her surprise. She looked about and without a word, her body language expressed her shock that Sousuke was not with her.

"He is still out with Marller. I wanted to come by and see you," Hild explained quickly. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know exactly what Urd was thinking.

"Come on in," Urd spoke evenly. She gestured into the home and stepped away from the door frame. "It's a surprise. That is all," she tried to explain as she forced a smile onto her face.

Hild nodded as she crossed the threshold. She immediately noticed the floating sandwich and half-full glass of milk in the hall way. "I wasn't interrupting you was I?" Hild inquired with a forced air of guilt.

"I had just started lunch. It's not a big deal," Urd replied. She gestured towards the food and it vanished. "Shall we sit at the kitchen table?" she inquired as she pressed past Hild and pointed towards the doorway leading to the kitchen.

"Certainly," Hild replied as she followed her. The tension in the room was palpable.

The pair entered the kitchen and sat across from each other at the kitchen table. Neither spoke until Urd broke the silence. "Tea?" she asked.

"Please," Hild replied as she turned to look out into the back yard. She could see the little Goddess known as Skuld sitting up on the grass staring back at her. She raised her hand and waved calmly.

Skuld leaned onto one hand, waved, and then returned to propping herself up on the grass.

"I know you haven't been here long, but are things, all right?" Hild questioned. She fought to keep her tone even. She was self conscious of everything she did as she watched her daughter summon tea, cups, and other pleasantries.

"It's fine," Urd replied. She placed the cups on the table and poured the tea by hand. She pretended to be concentrating on the action of making the tea in order to delay the conversations she wasn't sure she wanted to be having. "I appreciate you giving him a job," Urd continued as she finally placed the tea kettle down on the table.

"He got himself the job," Hild replied. "He has a very good record, excellent qualifications, and demonstrated a high level of aptitude for the position during his interview process," she explained. She smiled.

"I have no doubt," Urd confirmed as she nodded her head. "I am happy," Urd stared into her cup at the murky darkness of the steaming fluid. "Things are different now," Urd stated as she swirled the tea about with a light rotation of her wrist.

"Very," Hild replied as she nodded her head before bringing the cup to her lips quickly. She began to drink in lieu of speaking as she executed a perfect conversational riposte.

Urd felt her lips twitch into a smirk before she sighed and reached between her breasts. She withdrew her egg, cradled it in her fingertips, and then extended the egg towards Hild. "Would you like to hold your granddaughter?" Urd asked as she proffered her hand.

"May I?" Hild asked. She wore a plain look of shock on her face as she rapidly placed the cup down on the table and extended her hand tentatively. "I would like that very much," she continued.

Urd nodded as she placed the egg in her mothers hand. "She is a bit small but she makes so much noise," Urd spoke as she withdrew her now empty hand and cradled her mug between both palms. She watched Hild carefully.

"Oh hello my love!" Hild gushed as she lifted the egg to her lips and planted a light kiss on it. She stared down at the tiny object through tear blurred eyes as she began to coo and babble towards the tiny object. "You aren't kidding, the sound that the egg makes in the ether is deafening. I don't even know if I could have taken that," Hild laughed as she looked up to smile at Urd.

"You ignore it," Urd laughed as she took another sip of her drink. She placed the cup down and sighed deeply. "I could hear 'Ele when she was in her egg. She sounded like a river flowing towards a water fall. It was interesting. The little egg sounds like the roar of a planet forming. It sounds like explosions, and fire, and the very crushing nature of creation and destruction. It's amazing," Urd finally relaxed enough to allow the words in her heart to escape her lips.

"It's magnificent," Hild grinned wildly as she drew the egg in close to her face and rubbed it against her cheek. She continued to speak sweetly to it as she split her attention between Urd and the tiny object. "Thank you," she spoke again.

"Thank you," Urd calmly replied.

Hild extended her hand and returned the egg to Urd. The pair held eye contact before Hild leaned forward. "I didn't just come to see my daughter and her daughter, I came because I wanted to warn you," Hild spoke more seriously and her face hardened. "Earth is not going to be safe for our kind much longer," she sighed.

"What do you mean?" Urd questioned defensively.

"I mean," Hild gestured about with her hands. "All of this is going to be a war zone soon," she closed her eyes and ran the fingers of both her hands through her own long flowing hair before exhaling sharply in an attempt to banish the tenseness in her shoulders. "Heaven is preparing a squad of not very nice people in the hopes of doing harm to you and your child," Hild nearly spat the words as she stared into her daughters eyes.

"What do you expect us to do?" Urd questioned slowly. She allowed her eyes to flicker to the door and she looked out to the back yard where Skuld sat. She felt an unreasonable fear that she would be missing but she relaxed when she spotted the little Goddess plucking blades of grass and tossing them into the air. Urd relaxed visibly.

"Are you willing to hear my request?" Hild asked hopefully.

"You can speak it," Urd confirmed.

Hild shook her head and rolled her eyes before leaning forward onto the table with a single elbow. "I want you to start looking for a place to live in Hell," she asked softly. "Please, if not for yourself, do it for your child," Hild urged her.

Urd scowled and looked away before placing the egg between her breasts again.

"There are plenty of Geomancers who could set you up with a very nice place to live if you are unwilling to use your birthright," Hild continued to urge as she leaned forward oppressively. "Something nice," she smiled wide as she fussed with her hands. "Something safe," she spoke lower and more forcefully.

Urd shifted uncomfortably again. "I think we are fine here. We can take care of ourselves," Urd replied. Her eyes flickered towards Skuld before continuing. "There are two full grown Goddesses here," she stated softly.

"Hardly," Hild grunted with a tone of frustration. "Marller could single handedly defeat you both. You and your half sister are both untrained," she began to lecture as she gestured towards the back yard.

"I think we are done here," Urd interrupted. She stood and gestured towards the entrance to the house. "It was good seeing you," she continued with a strained and frustrated grunt as she scowled deeply.

Hild paused. Her features hardened as she rose to her feet with a tremendous scowl on her face. The pair stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

Urd shifted lightly as her stomach filled with butterflies.

Hild broke the face off by turning towards the door. She walked out of the kitchen and to the door, opened it, and her demeanor instantly shifted. "Welcome home!" she cried out as she gestured inwards.

"Greetings Hild," Sousuke spoke as he made his way into the room. He was followed closely by Marller and Husna. He hesitated, faltered, and then reached out to offer her a hug. The pair embraced softly. "It's very nice to see you," Sousuke spoke as he moved away from her.

Hild frowned. "Can you tell me about your day?" she questioned before putting a strained smile on her lips.

Sousuke nodded before making eye contact with Urd. He fell silent as she approached and grabbed him by the arm before drawing him away from Hild. "Sadly, Hild was just leaving," she spoke up.

Sousuke looked at Hild and then back at Urd. He seemed to be concentrating heavily as he read the expression on Urd's face. After a few seconds he turned back to Hild and spoke. "Could you stay for dinner?" he questioned. He turned back to Urd where he caught the look on her face and realized his mistake immediately. Urd was NOT sad that Hild was leaving.

Urd groaned before placing a hand over her face.

"Oh Sousuke! I would love that!" Hild gushed as she swooped forward to lift him in a hug. She placed him back down softly. "Should I cook?" Hild questioned as she placed her entire attention on him.

"Should she?" Urd scowled in his direction.

"Well, I think Husna wanted to go to a restaurant," Sousuke spoke carefully as he gestured towards the door. He smiled meekly.

Hild rotated around to lay eyes on Husna and Marller. "Would you rather eat at a restaurant or would you prefer to enjoy a meal cooked by myself and Urd?" Hild inquired with an even tone and facial expression.

Husna appeared ready to hyper ventilate. She choked on her words and her eyes were wide pools of white as she realized Hild was speaking to her. Her answer was lost in a storm of syllables and grunts. After several seconds she reached up shakily to tug hard on the sleeve of Marller's shirt.

"We would be honored to eat a meal cooked by the Queen Mother herself," Marller spoke before flourishing with a informal curtsy. She grinned as she shot a side long look at the shell shocked Husna.

"It's settled then," Hild spoke as she clapped her hands lightly. "I will make something delicious with the help of Urd!" she grinned wildly as she turned, flashed a wink at Sousuke, and strode purposefully into the kitchen.

"You," Urd growled as she pointed angrily at Sousuke. "I swear," she hissed through grit teeth before turning and stomping into the kitchen.

"That is Hild," Husna breathed before moving to the wall and steadying herself. She placed a single hand over her eyes and began to breathe deeply. Her shoulders rose and fell forcefully as she began to wipe at her eyes furiously.

"Are you all right?" Sousuke questioned as he fought down the cold feeling of dread that had washed over him at his realization he had angered Urd. He approached Husna cautiously but did not reach out for her. "Do you need a chair?" he continued.

"She will be fine," Marller huffed. She rolled her eyes hard. "I can't believe you," she grumbled as she reached out to pat Husna on her back. "It's just Hild," she tried to impress.

"It's Urd and Hild," Husna spoke as she stood straight. She wiped at her eyes, took several deep breathes, and then shook her arms out in front of herself. "I am going to have dinner with the most important people in all of creation," she spoke slowly. "This is the moment I have always wanted," she exhaled.

Sousuke shook his head. "Very interesting," he spoke before turning and making his way into the kitchen. He looked towards the counter where he saw Urd hovering behind Hild. The pair made eye contact and his heart ached when she turned away without acknowledging him.

"What are you looking for?" Urd queried. She was staring down at the back of Hild as she dug underneath the counter.

"This," Hild replied as she held up a large steel pan. It looked to be brand new.

"Why not just use a spell?" Urd questioned her suspiciously.

"It's always so difficult to poison a Goddess when you do it by spell. So much easier to do it by hand," Hild replied with a deadpanned delivery.

Sousuke began to laugh but fell silent as Urd whirled to face him with a blood chilling glare. He coughed uncomfortably before making his way to the table, sat, and looked towards an interesting point on the wall. He felt a deep chill in his shoulder blades.

"I'm going to make a real meal," Hild sighed before pushing past Urd, placing the pan on the stove, and moving towards the cabinet. "Let's see what you have here," she spoke aloud as she pulled the cabinet open and began to spy the goods tucked away within. "Canned, dried, preserved, and bottled," she sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, we don't have anything to your liking," Urd spat haughtily.

"Marller!" Hild cried out in a sweet sing song falsetto. "Could you be a dear and get me a few things?"

"Ma'am," Marller replied. She stood at attention and listened patiently for the list of necessities.

"I need you to travel to the local market and purchase a steak of sufficient quality for each of us, the usual vegetables, and a sack of potatoes. Could you send Husna on an errand for me as well?" she asked.

Husna nearly fell over herself as she entered the kitchen and stood next to Marller. "The Queen Mother knows my name," she breathed before falling to one knee and bowing her head. "Anything for you," she spoke.

Hild smiled sweetly before reaching down and beckoning her to her feet. "All I need you to do is to fetch someone for me," Hild extended her hands outwards and offered her palms toward the dark skinned demoness.

Husna stood, reached out and placed her finger tips against the palms of Hild's hands, and then withdrew her hands quickly. She bowed her head and incanted a soft prayer of blessing.

"Bring him here," Hild spoke in a friendly tone. "It is important," Hild turned away and returned to the stove. "Hurry, both of you," she impressed.

Marller and Husna vanished. The pair left a gaping hole in the atmosphere where they had stood moments before and the house rocked slightly as a loud crack filled the room.

Sousuke felt his eye twitch as he fought down any reaction to the sudden movements of the two demons.

"Who is she fetching?" Urd questioned.

"Lester," Hild replied.

"Who is Lester?" Urd questioned.

"Captain Lester Rockwell," Sousuke replied. "He gave me his card," he stated calmly. He reached up to rub at his face and neck as he felt his heart starting to crash madly in his chest. He didn't enjoy the idea of Urd being upset with him and it was beginning to wear down his normal walls.

"Why are you inviting him?" Urd asked. She turned her back on Sousuke again after his outburst.

"Because I like him," Hild replied. She had paused as she reached out to flick the stove top on. She cocked her head and then shook it several times. "Does every thing have to be a plot with you?" she questioned.

Urd scowled. "Does it?" she replied evasively. "Isn't it always a scheme, a plan, or some kind of divine comedy acted out on all of us?" she spat as her voice raised in tenor.

"You are right. I did scheme," Hild growled. She balled her fists and approached Urd until the pair were only inches apart. "I sent you to live with your half-sister in heaven to protect you from your father you stupid little girl," she began to visibly shake as she raised her fists to wipe at her eyes.

"What?" Urd questioned as she took a half step away from her mother and faltered. "How does that even make sense to you?" she continued to ask.

"I sent you to heaven because if I didn't you would have been destroyed for being an abomination. I contributed to the creation of a half breed. Why do you think I left in the first place? You were conceived!" Hild waved her hands and a massive black shield of energy erupted around the home. "Let's have a talk," she spat.

"What are you doing?" Urd asked her nervously. Her voice shook and she gaped as she looked through the windows to spy the undulating mass of purple and black energy that engulfed the edges of the property.

"After I realized I was going to have you, I ran. I knew HE wouldn't suffer you to live if there was any chance you could be the one who would one day stand up and command Hell, Heaven, and Earth," Hild jabbed her finger forward with her right hand as she continued to wipe and paw at her eyes with the other hand. "He was willing to fight a war over you, and so I agreed that you would live with him so he could watch over you. If you stayed there, he would let you live, because he believed my influence was the danger," she gushed.

"No," Urd shook her head several times as she began to feel a cold wave of understanding ride up her spine. "I was just his daughter," Urd continued to try to reason her way out of her conundrum as she began to shake her head even harder.

"You were in a silk padded jail cell," Hild spat. "I loved you, so I let you go in the hopes it would spare you," she finished before pulling her own arms around herself. "I couldn't loose you," she finished before erupting into a sob.

Sousuke felt sick. He wasn't familiar with families, feelings, or how to handle two emotional women. He hesitated for a moment before standing and approaching the sobbing Hild. He placed his arm around her and pulled her into the nook of his arm. He then extended his other arm towards Urd and beckoned her towards himself.

Urd felt fear, rage, and frustration churn in her as she watched Sousuke and his actions. "What are you doing?" she growled at him. "Why do you keep putting your neck out for her? She is manipulating us!" she shouted angrily.

Sousuke turned a hard look on Urd. He felt something inside himself snap and he raised his voice. "Get your ass over here," he barked at her. "If she is going to kill us, then it happens, but I will be damned if I am going to let you reject your own mother right now. I would love for a chance to meet my parents. I want to know my family. I would do anything to know what it means to be loved by someone like she loves you," he continued to rage.

Urd hesitated for a moment and then took several steps forward. She reached out and felt her way into an embrace with Sousuke and Hild. Tears had blinded her. "You can't trust her!" Urd sobbed as she allowed Sousuke to pull her towards her mother before he stepped back and allowed them to embrace.

"Just hug her damn it," he commanded.

"I love you so much," Hild continued to sob as she was racked with violent shakes. She kissed Urd on her cheek and forehead several times before resting her cheek against Urd's. "I know I seemed like a terrible mother. I played the role I had to play to protect you and now I betray you again," she choked on her words.

"What do you mean?" Urd asked her as she leaned back to look into her mothers face.

"When your father discovers I have told you these things. When he discovers I finally cracked," Hild looked fearfully into her daughters eyes. "He will come for you," she leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead again.

"We can talk to him," Urd shook her head several times before breaking the embrace. She stuttered for a moment and her eyes glazed. "You gave me the memories," she gasped hard as her eyes scanned back and forth vacantly. She was reliving thousands of years worth of history.

"I'm sorry," Hild whispered before clasping her hands before her chest. "You needed to know the truth," she sighed sadly.

"Oh no," Urd gasped. "No, please," she continued to plead before reaching out with her hand to grasp at the air. "I was just a baby," she teetered on her feet.

Sousuke rushed forward to pull Urd into his arms. He buckled at the knees and slowly lowered her to the ground as she continued to whimper, murmur, and shiver. He cradled her head against his chest and held her tightly.

"Belldandy?" Urd questioned aloud. She drew in several rasping breathes before straightening and locking eyes with Sousuke. She appeared to be rapidly regaining her faculties. "Belldandy?" she asked again. Her voice turned accusatory and she leaned forward to peer past Sousuke towards Hild.

"Every moment I showed you is true," Hild confirmed. The Demon Queen paused, turned at the waist, and gestured towards Urd. She took a single step back and waited as Skuld lowered her hammer and approached her sister.

"Are you all right?" she asked with a strained politeness. The tiny Goddess furtively shot her attention between Urd and Hild as she knelt and began to stroke Urd's hair off of her forehead. She was opposite Sousuke.

"You never knew," Urd spoke calmly. She looked at Skuld with sad eyes and reached up to draw her into a hug. "You were true," she continued to speak in an attempt to placate herself. She began to cry.

"What are you talking about?" Skuld questioned. She turned to look at Hild. "What did you do to her? Why is she acting weirder than usual?" she glared accusingly at the Queen of Hell. "If you hurt her," Skuld threatened the woman.

"I just showed her what happened the day before she met Belldandy," Hild replied. She crossed her arms and shrugged softly. "I think she has a right to know who her sister is," Hild was even in her tone.

"Husna is back," Hild stated calmly. She waved her hand over Urd and then gestured to the table. "You should have a seat and take this time to think about what you saw," she stated. "Let us have a good dinner tonight," she finished.

Urd fluttered her eyes as the wave of demonic energy washed over and through her. She felt powerful and focused. She had a strong desire to gnash her teeth, destroy every thing in the room, and kiss and choke Sousuke. She felt her face flush and she fought to relax herself before leaning heavily on Sousuke until she found her footing again.

"Can you tell me what is going on?" Skuld asked. She grumbled and sighed as Urd ignored her and made her way to the table. Skuld tossed her hammer aside and it vanished before it hit the floor. "Why am I always the last one to know before some crazy shit happens?" she sulked.

"Water?" Sousuke asked as he grabbed a cup out of the cabinet and began to fill it with room temperature tap water. He turned and approached his Goddess, extended the glass, and waited.

Urd reached out slowly, withdrew the cup, and took several sips. She sucked a deep breath between her teeth and then nodded towards Hild.

Hild nodded in reply before waving away the energy shield she had placed around the home. A moment later there was a knock and the front door to the home opened. The sounds of foot steps rapidly approached and Husna entered the kitchen trailing a length of silver chain. The opposite end of the chain was wrapped around a tightly bound Captain Rockwell. He was blind folded and gagged.

"I have returned with the human you desired," Husna proudly stated before kneeling, reaching to her belt line and withdrawing a blade. She span it and extended the handle towards Hild. "I would be honored if you killed him with my blade," she spoke throatily with a trembling excitement.

"Husna dear," Hild shook her had discontentedly. "Husna," she repeated the name and waited until the dark skinned Succubus looked up from her bowed stare at the floor. "That is my boyfriend," she stated softly as she gestured towards him.

Sousuke watched the wheels of realization turn slowly in Husna, Urd, and Skuld. He could see each of them processing the words that just escaped the lips of Hild. He watched as Skuld mouthed the word "gross" silently. He saw Urd turn her attention fully on Hild as her eyes grew several sizes too wide. Then he waited patiently for the moment to finally break through to Husna.

The woman looked up more fully. She stated the word "boyfriend" slowly. She swiveled at the neck and gazed fully upon the human. Her features contorted rapidly from realization, shock, horror, and then utter fear. She turned and waved her hand. The chains fell away into nothingness and the gag and blindfold vanished.

"You won't kill me that easily!" Lester shouted as he pulled himself into a fighting stance. He began to rapidly look about the room in total confusion until his eyes fell on Hild and a strange expression washed over his features. "Hild? What is happening here?" he asked cautiously.

"I apologize," Husna fell to her knees and prostrated herself before Urd. "I did not realize," she continued to gush as she crushed her eye lids shut and grovelled before the Queen of Hell.

"Oh child," Hild sighed audibly as she reached down and pulled the Succubus to her feet. "Don't fret," she chastised the demoness softly. "You did exactly what I asked and it was my fault for not sharing our relationship with you," she smiled before gesturing towards the man. "Hello Lester," she smiled cheekily as she extended her arms towards him.

The Captain hesitated, looked at Husna again, and then approached Hild slowly before extending his arms. The pair embraced and exchanged a soft peck on the lips before parting. "Now what in the Hell is going on here?" he asked.

"There was a small mix up," Hild explained the situation away before gesturing to Husna. "You have met Husna," she laughed lightly before pointing towards Urd, Sousuke, and Skuld. "My daughter, her boyfriend, and her half-sister," she offered.

"Skuld," the tiny Goddess lifted her chin and waved before turning to exchange a look with Urd. The pair seemed flabbergasted.

"It's a pleasure," Lester replied as he lifted a hand and waved back in reply. "All demons?" he asked carefully.

"No," Hild chuckled. "Goddess," she pointed at Skuld. "Human," she pointed at Sousuke. "My daughter," she shook her head softly as she pointed at Urd. "Demon," she finally confirmed as she pointed at Husna.

"You have a hell of a choke hold," Lester nodded towards Husna as he rubbed at his neck.

Husna looked mortified and didn't reply. She simply diverted her gaze before speaking softly. "I would never have touched you had I known you would be allowed to live. I apologize," she whispered.

"Apology accepted?" Lester shook his head before looking back at Hild. "What is happening?" he asked.

"Dinner!" Hild replied as she clapped her hands together and gestured to the table. "I am going to cook and I think this is a good chance for all of us to sit down and get to know each other better," she happily exclaimed. "I am going to make steaks," she continued to speak excitedly.

"Oh," Lester Rockwell replied. He pushed down his confusion, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and then moved to the side. "Was that a spell?" he asked slowly.

"To get here?" Husna asked cautiously.

"Yea," Lester nodded.

"Something like that," she offered in reply.

"One second I am on my ranch and the next I have a forearm around my neck and a knife to my back," he stated as he leaned forward on his toes and tried to crane his head to look at his own back. "Am I bleeding?" he asked as he pointed his back at Hild.

Hild pursed her lips at Husna, looked down at the Captains back, and then waved her hand. "Not at all," she stated before giving one last withering glare in the direction of Husna. "I am sure every thing will be fine," she stated.

Rockwell nodded and then gestured at the counter. "Where are the steaks?" he asked softly. "I thought I showed you how to cook 'em," he offered with a cautious smile.

Hild pointed over his shoulder and smiled. "Here she comes," she stated.

Marller gracefully stepped out of the television set in the front room just past the kitchen. She turned, reached into the television, and withdrew several bags and sacks. "I have returned," she called out before freezing with a look of surprise on her face as she spotted Captain Rockwell. "Sir," she offered with a nod of her head before darting her eyes around in the hopes of not making eye contact with him.

"Marller," he asked with a tinge of question in his voice.

"Yes," she confirmed as she walked fully into the kitchen and placed the bags on the counter. "Do you need anything else Ma'am?" she asked carefully.

"Not at all. Please, have a seat and relax," Hild stated as she began to shoo and wiggle her hands at each of them in turn. "Sit and talk," she urged them before moving to the bags and starting to withdraw all of the goodies that Marller had returned with.

Sousuke, Urd, Skuld, Rockwell, Husna, and Marller quickly situated themselves at the table. The group was crammed around the table in a fairly close formation and Sousuke fidgeted for a second before standing. "Allow me to see if I can find us another table to add here," he stated.

"I got it," Marller replied. She waved her hand and the table grew several inches in diameter. "So what did I miss?" she asked casually. Her eyes flickered to the Captain as she spoke, revealing her curiosity.

"How long have you known?" Urd asked Marller with a jerk of her chin towards Captain Rockwell. "Don't you think I should know?" she questioned her.

"I knew it," Marller stated excitedly. "I mean, I didn't know, but I had my suspicions," she replied excitedly.

Captain Rockwell made eye contact with Sousuke and raised his eye brows. He seemed embarrassed by the ladies behavior. "I heard you were going to be preparing for your new job today," he offered Sousuke as he tried to pointedly ignore the chattering pair near him.

"I am glad you brought that up, since Marller seems to have gotten herself into a little trouble today," Hild piped up from her position at the counter. She was salting the steaks with her back facing the group. "What did we talk about Marller?" she asked in a strangely friendly tone.

"Ma'am?" Marller asked with a confused look on her face. She glanced quickly towards Husna before jerking her chin in a questioning manner. She scowled as the dark skinned demoness contorted her face into a look of confusion and shrugged her shoulders silently.

"I asked you to do one thing," Hild continued. "You were supposed to prevent Sousuke from being harmed," she stated.

"Yes Ma'am, he is fine," Marller replied as she gestured towards Sousuke with one hand. "Not a scratch, right?" she asked as she turned towards the soldier. The pair held eye contact and Sousuke nodded several times.

"I feel fine," he stated.

The strange line of questioning drew Urd's attention and she turned to stare at him. "Did someone touch you?" she asked slowly.

"What? No," he emphatically stated before falling silent. "Maybe," he breathed as he pursed his lips and looked towards Marller. "I might have taken some pictures," he offered slowly.

"What?" Urd questioned. Her eyes drew to slits and she leaned forward to press a single finger against him. "What in the world?" she stated aloud.

"Some giddy little girls asked to pose with Sousuke and took some photos with him," Marller stated as she flinched under a withering gaze that befell her from both Urd and Hild. "I didn't think it would hurt to do a little public relations," she continued to offer.

"Has Sousuke been locked down yet?" Hild inquired serenely.

The simple question that escaped Hild was the catalyst that caused Husna to place both hands over her eyes and hang her head. "They read his mind," she stated.

"They were reporters for the Demons Closet," Hild continued.

A round of groans and angry expressions fell from the mouths of each of the women at the table in turn.

"Shit," hissed Marller.

"Ugh," groaned Urd.

"Oh Hell," Husna blurted out in a manner very similar to Major Cummins, her superior officer.

"What is the Demons Closet?" Rockwell inquired.

"It's a magazine for stupid little girls with too much time on their hand and not enough enthusiasm in supporting our Queen," Husna blurted out scathingly. "Only idiots subscribe to that 'rag'", she finished.

"Marller, please summon the newest release. I understand you have a subscription," Hild stated with a smirk.

Urd and Marller both extended their hands and gripped the magazine in their hands. The pair exchanged eye contact before turning to scowl at Husna. Urd drew her lips back into an even smirk that left her smile flat as she looked at Husna.

Husna sighed before dropping her head into her hands.

The irony of the statement stuck a chord with Skuld and she laughed heartily. The tiny Goddesses erupted into a body shaking laugh as she nodded her head several times. "Well, she isn't wrong," she continued to guffaw until she finally calmed. She continued to shake into fitful giggles each time she looked up and saw the look of utter shame and embarrassment on the face of Husna.

Sousuke felt his face fill with heat and he shrunk in his seat as he stared at a picture of himself emblazoned on the front of the magazine. "The Princess And The Frog," stood out as the title tucked under his photo.

Urd drew the magazine open, flipped several pages deep into the articles, and began to read aloud. "The rumors that the Princess Urd may soon be returning to Hell are true," she allowed a disgusted look pass over her features. "Intrepid investigative reporters hired by the Demons Closet have recently had the opportunity to meet the human male who has stolen our Princesses heart. Meet Sousuke Sagara," she groaned before tossing the magazine towards Skuld.

Skuld caught the magazine, flipped it open in the middle, and began to read voraciously. It wasn't long before she was laughing out loud and blushing. "The master of the combat arts was able to solidify his relationship with the future Queen of Hell through a combination of martial power and a love making style that would make your toes curl," she spoke through clenched teeth and a smile that peeled her lips back violently. "Oh no," she continued to laugh.

Sousuke grimaced.

"Oh! OH! Look!" Skuld nearly shouted as she flipped the magazine around and allowed the pages to wrap around her hand. She began to point towards a photo collection with the words "Is your relationship this hot?" typeset in massive bold letters. "How hot IS your relationship?" Skuld asked before allowing the magazine to topple out of her hands. She was crying with laughter.

Sousuke reached out and pulled the magazine up to eye level. He winced as he looked at the collage of photographs that had been lifted from his memory. Most of the images were of Urd in varying levels of transformation and lingerie except for one. He looked at the photo of him staring into a mirror at himself in a suit of armor tied against a wall. Urd towered over him in her demonic form. He closed the magazine and set it on the table before looking up sheepishly at Hild. The pair made eye contact and she began to laugh.

"God damn," Rockwell stated loudly before leaning away from where he had been reading over Marller's shoulder. "They got you good partner," he shook his head in the negative before gesturing towards the magazine again. "How did they do that?"

"They can read minds and Sousuke has not had his mind sealed away yet," Hild explained. "All it takes is one touch and most demons can see every thing. Some are better at it than others, but these were professionals," she sighed.

"Wow," Rockwell nodded several times before a thought dawned on him. "So you have read my thoughts?" he asked softly.

"Sometimes," Hild replied with a smirk.

"All right," he smirked.

"Ew," Skuld whispered just loud enough for every one to hear.

"Don't 'ew' me child, I know about your little friend," Hild snapped back playfully.

Skuld pursed her lips but didn't reply.

"I'm going to kill them all," Urd seethed. The words that escaped her mouth brought the attention of Sousuke fully on her and he reached out immediately to place a hand on her shoulder. "All of them", she breathed. Urd lifted her hands and they were completely transformed into claws.

"It'll be fine. Lesson learned," Hild stated calmly. "So they got a few pictures from his memory. They didn't cross too many lines. Nothing unforgivable," Hild shook her head before smiling encouragingly at Urd. "It was one article and it will never happen again. Not like this at least," she stated.

Urd looked incredulously at Hild before pointing at her with a bony clawed hand. "What if it was you in my place?" she asked angrily. "How would you feel?"

"Flattered," Hild replied with a shrug. "You won't be able to read his mind without his permission once I cast the spell," she continued. "Shall I?" she inquired.

"Yes," Urd replied hastily. "Also, you and I are going to talk about this whole taking pictures with women thing," she barked as she rounded on Sousuke.

Sousuke nodded. "I didn't mean to cause any harm," he spoke softly.

"Ugh, stop being sad," Urd grumbled. "I could have handled this better," She turned to Hild and returned her hands to normal. "Do it please," she stated.

Hild waved her hand at Sousuke and he felt the air around him vibrate. A feeling like a steel rod traveling up his spine passed over him and he shivered once. "Done," Hild confirmed.

Marller and Urd both reached out to touch his arm momentarily. The contact seemed to satisfy both their curiosity and the pair released him.

"What did that do?" Rockwell questioned as he jerked his chin at Sousuke.

"We can't read his mind," Urd replied. She looked towards The Captain and concentrated hard on him. She cocked her head. "Are you blocked as well?" Urd questioned him.

"He is," Hild confirmed. "You think I would leave my man unblocked?" Hild asked her with a disapproving look.

"I should have done it," Urd confirmed as she shook her head. "I just try not to use magic on him when ever I can," she sighed. "I'm sorry," she spoke softly in the direction of Sousuke.

The sound of the oven shutting caused Urd to turn her attention back on Hild. "Why did you put them in the oven?" she asked with a look of confusion.

"You heat them up at two seventy five for about eight minutes. Then you chuck them on a hot skillet for three minutes on each side," Rockwell stated as he flashed a smile at Hild. "Have confidence in her," he laughed.

Urd scowled but didn't reply.

"How did you two decide to make yourselves a thing?" Skuld asked from her side of the table. She seemed confused. "Have you been together long?" she continued.

"Yesterday," Hild replied. She wiped her hands on a small hand towel before tossing it onto the counter. "We just kind of decided," she smiled affectionately at the man. "What about Shinji? Have you spoken to him lately?" she inquired in reply.

Skuld looked toward the table and averted her eyes. She seemed to be deep in thought before replying. "No," she sighed. "I haven't even told him I was back from the training," she sighed.

"Why not?" Hild asked.

"I'm too embarrassed," she replied. Skuld sighed and slicked her hair back before allowing several strands to fall forward to frame her face. "I can't tell him I am a worthless failure," she bit her lip.

"Who said you were a failure?" Urd, Sousuke, and Hild spoke in unison. The three held equal parts anger in their voice as they each looked at the other in turn.

"No one," Skuld slunk in her seat under the attention she had brought on herself. "I flunked out of Valkyrie training," she whispered.

"So what?" Hild shrugged. "Urd flunked out of the Hospitalers, the Cherubims, and the Self Defense League," Hild replied.

"Mom!" Urd nearly shouted as her eyes grew wide. She realized her own outburst and looked away quickly. "I didn't flunk, I just quit," she groaned.

"Hah!" Hild grinned momentarily before turning to wink at Captain Rockwell. The man smiled back at her knowingly.

"Really?" Skuld asked softly. She sighed again. "I can't bring myself to talk to him. He really loves the military and when he finds out I didn't make it, I don't know, why would he even talk to me," she rambled.

"You should call him," Sousuke spoke up.

"Maybe later," Skuld nodded once under his gaze and then sniffed the air. As the group spoke, Hild had continued to toil in the kitchen. "Smells good," she spoke.

"It's almost done," Hild confirmed. She began to scoop corn bread onto plates. "I made corn bread, steaks, black eyed peas, and a pineapple upside down cake," she spoke. The Queen of Hell turned and smiled at Captain Rockwell. "Someone has turned me into a real fan of comfort food," she laughed.

Captain Rockwell laughed. He stood and approached Hild but then he stopped and approached the sink and washed his hands. "Let me help somehow," he stated.

"Serve," she replied as she lifted a plate and handed it to him. He took it and approached the table where he placed it in front of Husna.

"Here ya go," he stated in a friendly tone as he placed the plate in front of her. He nodded as she provided him a curt and respectful thanks.

The Captain took turns passing a plate to each of the occupants of the home until he had finally placed his and Hild's plate on the table. "Yesterday I made an ass of myself by saying grace," he chuckled. "So what do we do this time?" he asked Hild.

Hild laughed and waved her hand. "It's fine, I am serious," she shook her head and her eyes sparkled as she gazed at him. "I really didn't mind. Why don't you go ahead," she urged him.

"Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub," he offered jokingly. The pair began to laugh hysterically. The rest of the table took turns sharing looks of amazement and confusion in equal parts.

"Do you know who Hild is?" Skuld asked him. She had spoke the words the rest of them had been wanting to say.

"Queen of Hell," Captain Rockwell replied. "The fallen star herself," he continued as he lifted his fork and knife and began to cut his steak.

"This doesn't bother you?" Husna questioned slowly. She was sizing him up.

"No ma'am," Rockwell replied. "I was a little worried at first, but I decided that I didn't need to worry," he shrugged. "I would say I am pretty lucky," he continued.

"Is that it?" Urd questioned cautiously. She glanced towards Marller who pointedly ignored her. Urd scowled as Marller stuffed her mouth full of cornbread to escape any chance of being questioned.

"You mentioned something about yesterday," Urd spoke up again. "What happened?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Hild replied. "I suppose I can tell you," she smiled before reaching out and placing her hand on the thigh of the Captain. "I will tell you," she stated as she peeled her gaze off of him and towards Urd.

She began to speak.

Urd didn't hear her though. She kept thinking about Belldandy and the events that transpired the day before they met. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

\scenebreak

"I want to meet Belldandy," Hild spoke aloud. She held herself to her full height and puffed out her chest. The split front dress strained dangerously as she scowled towards the wall of Angelic beings who stood between her and the exit to the room. "I agreed to give you Urd. I have the right to see who her keeper will be," she growled.

"You have no rights here," a voice echoed out. A bevy of agreeing murmurs filled the air.

"Bring her," a booming voice echoed through the room and many of the Holy beings ducked and slunk away.

"My ex-husband commands it," Hild reiterated as she extended her hand and gazed upon her nails. "Let me see the spawn of the one who has replaced me," she spat.

A door slid open slowly and a tiny girl entered the room. She turned and shut the door slowly before turning once more and approaching Hild. She held her chin up and gazed back at the woman without any hint of fear. She seemed serene.

"I will be her sister and her keeper," Belldandy spoke. "I am the one known as Belldandy," she bowed at the waist slightly.

"What have you been told?" Hild demanded of her.

"I will watch her, keep her, and should she grow beyond reproach, I will destroy her," she replied calmly.

"That is my daughter you threaten," Hild replied calmly. She wanted to strike the child before her but knew it would only make things worse.

"I do not threaten," Belldandy replied. "I tell you with the utmost respect Queen Hild that if I am commanded to do so, I will kill her with my own two hands without hesitation in the name of my father," she showed no hint of weakness in her resolve.

Hild scowled. She surged forward and extended the claw like nails of her left hand past the shoulder of Belldandy. She clutched a single cleanly cut strand of hair between her fingers and she showed no emotion as she hid her shock at the lack of reaction from the child. "You might kill Urd. You might best her in single combat, poison her, or simply stab her in her sleep. You will not escape me once you do so," she threatened.

"I will grow up one day," Belldandy replied calmly. She looked down slowly and revealed the palm of her hand. She held one of the jewels from some of the jewelry that Hild wore. "I will not be a weak child forever," she continued to speak as she smiled serenely at the Queen of Hell.

Hild withdrew her hand and turned. "I will be watching you," she spoke.

"I will be watching Urd," Belldandy replied calmly as she raised her hands into a position of prayer and bowed her head. "I hope we will be best friends," she continued through a smile.

Hild wanted to scream and cry. She wanted to flail her arms, kick, and attack every one in the room. She felt herself trembling as she watched the little girl finish her prayer before looking up and locking eyes with her. Belldandy flicked her wrist and the jewel flew towards Hild who caught it.

"That appears expensive. I do not want you to loose it," Belldandy smiled.

Hild crushed the stone between her fingers and spilled the dust on the floor before making her way to the door. "I have been promised the opportunity to visit Urd on specific dates and times. I will visit her in my own ways," Hild spoke as she left her back facing the little girl. She refused to show her the tears running down her cheeks.

"You are more than welcome to follow all of the rules set for you," Belldandy confirmed through a smile.

Hild grit her teeth and then willed herself away. She appeared in an empty castle and immediately heard the sniffling and crying. She turned and looked to discover the child who had spent many years playing with Urd. "Marller?" Hild asked softly.

"Auntie Hild!" Marller wailed. "Mommy is gone. Daddy is gone. Urd is gone," the tiny girl sobbed. "Is Urd dead too?" she choked out through a snot filled cough. "Mommy and daddy died to keep us safe here," Marller nodded. "Did Urd have to die too?" she asked.

Hild felt her heart break and she reached out to hug the child to her chest. "No," she assured her. "Urd had to go somewhere safe. It was too dangerous for her here but she will be back. I promise," Hild replied as she stroked Marller on the head softly. "She will come back to us both some day," she was reduced to tears as she buried her face in Marllers hair.

\scenebreak

"So then he asked if we could still see each other," Hild smiled wide as she patted Captain Rockwell on the leg again. She hesitated and then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "So I said yes," she gushed excitedly.

Urd stood and approached Marller. She stood over her and waited as Marller looked up at her with a confused look on her face. "What is going on?" she asked.

Urd reached down and lifted Marller to her feet before hugging her in her arms tightly. "I am so sorry I told you I hate you and Hell," Urd sobbed.

Marller looked over Urd's shoulder towards Hild with a confused look before speaking up. "We were kids," she stated as she tried to comfort Urd. The entire room had fallen silent as they interacted.

"I was so stupid," Urd cried as she continued to hug Marller. "I will make it up to you," she spoke through sniffles.

"All right, cool," Marller replied as she patted Urd on her back.

"I love you," Hild breathed out before releasing Marller and returning to sit next to Sousuke. She took several deep breathes and then closed her eyes again as he began to stroke her hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't listen to your story. Can you repeat it?" Urd asked.

Hild laughed aloud at the strange outburst and then nodded. "I suppose I could. Is every thing all right?" she asked.

"I was looking at the memories you gave me. I saw Belldandy," she spoke. "I understand now," she finished.

"What about Belldandy?" Skuld asked suspiciously.

"Belldandy has been my warden," Urd replied. She frowned and wiped at her eyes. "She was in charge of deciding if I was irredeemable in the eyes of the Lord," she finished.

Skuld gaped at her before extending her hand. "Please," she begged softly.

Urd hesitate but then reached out and placed a single digit in the palm of the extended hand.


	15. Ah! A Demon Queen Is Back In The Saddle!

Hild turned her head back and forth slowly as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She smiled softly before batting her eyes. A small scowl appeared on her features and she leaned forward to pull on her cheek until a single line that had appeared under her eye vanished. She leaned her head back and inspected her face thoroughly.

"Ugh," she sighed aloud. She reached down and plucked a small jar of lotion from her vanity, twist the top of, and scooped a measured amount of the thick liquid onto her finger tips. She raised her hand and began to rub the cream under both eyes while continuing to gaze at her own reflection. "I'm not old. I'm experienced," she spoke to herself. She flashed herself another cheeky grin.

Hild looked down at her nude chest, ran her hands over her breasts, and then lifted them. She leaned forward, smiled sexily, and blew a kiss at the mirror. "Still got it," she laughed lightly as she stood, turned, and approached her closet. Her bare feet made no noise and she moved gracefully as she looked about her bed room.

Her canopy bed was immaculate without a single crease. Her vanity clean and organized even after such recent use. She stopped beside a cup made of onyx that was resting on a copper platter on the top of her dresser, hefted the weighty vessel to her lips and took a light sip of the persimmon and apple juice mixture held within. Her lips shimmered softly under the warm lighting cast from her massive chandelier dangling high above. She groaned contently before replacing her cup and licking her lips softly.

The closet door opened under her mental volition and she turned to face the contents within. A light flickered on and she approached the doorway, stopped, and rested herself against the door frame. She gazed inwards at the myriad of clothes. She wrapped herself in her own arms as she frowned at the different outfits she kept for herself. "Every thing at my finger tips and not a single thing to wear," she sighed loudly.

Hild closed her eyes and concentrated on Captain Rockwell. She allowed her mind to enter the force of energy that binds all things together and she explored slowly. "What do you like?" she asked herself as she began to pick up pace plowing through the collective events that made up the mans life. "I see," she chuckled before opening her eyes and waving her hand outwards.

A pair of jeans, sequined boots, and a white shirt appeared before her. She felt her cheeks warm before she shook her head and banished the clothing. "I can't look like I am trying too hard," she stated firmly before snapping her fingers once. She wore a simple black skirt, white button up blouse, and a pair of high heels. Her outfit screamed business casual.

Hild took her time to inspect herself in her full length mirror. She turned, twisted, and twirled until she was satisfied that every aspect of her appearance was perfect. She thought for a moment and then decided she should take a purse. She summoned a small purse adorned with a logo embroidered into the fabric of an expensive name brand.

"Marller," Hild spoke aloud. She opened the door to her bedroom and smiled as her eyes locked with Marller's.

Marller placed a fist over her chest, bowed slightly, and lowered her eyes. "What do you need?" she inquired.

"Marller, when we are home, you need not be so formal," Hild smiled, reached out and placed her hand on Marller's shoulder, and then withdrew her hand. "I am going to go on a small trip," she explained.

"Are you going to Japan?" Marller inquired. "Will you be visiting Urd?" Marller felt the questions slip from her lips unbidden. She contained her excitement.

"No," Hild replied evasively. She hesitated but then spoke with an air that left no room for argument. "I will be traveling to the United States," she replied calmly. "Tennessee," she finished.

Marller couldn't help herself. A look of confusion passed over her features and she looked at Hild as though she had grown several heads. "Why?" she questioned. She dropped her gaze to the floor in embarrassment at her own outburst.

Hild grinned. "Well mom, I am going to go see a boy," she stated. She posed in a dejected manner and laughed before returning to her normal poise and demeanor. "I am going to visit with Captain Rockwell," she finished.

"Shall I prepare guards?" Marller inquired. Her face was curled into a scowl and her abashed attitude faded quickly as she returned to her normal self once more. "Will I be coming?" she asked with a serious tone.

"I will be traveling alone. I think it will be fine," Hild waved her concerns away. "I can take care of myself dear," she smiled and pointed. "I do need to pick a car," she smiled reassuringly.

"I must protest," Marller began to speak but was cut off as Hild walked past her and motioned for her to follow. "Please," Marller begged as the pair walked through the castle towards the garage.

"I am going to be fine," Hild replied easily.

"Please, at least tell me the purpose of this meeting," Marller continued.

Hild fell silent. She stopped and then turned back at the waist to look at Marller. "I don't know," she spoke as a look of surprise crossed her face.

"What?" Marller replied.

"Something just feels like I need to do this," she replied again. The pair made eye contact and then Hild turned back forward again and began to walk.

Marller felt a deep worry pass through her. She fidgeted with the cuff of her blouse as she walked and then she rushed forward to walk directly next to Hild. "Are you going to destroy him? Perhaps you should just send me?" she asked.

Hild laughed but did not answer. She waved her hand and a door opened. She inhaled deeply and sighed before pointing at a line of automobiles. "Well, what do I drive?" she asked Marller.

Marller frowned, looked towards the vehicles, and then back at Hild. She shrugged but changed her mind. Her hand rose and she pointed at a small two seat convertible. "The BMW?" Marller asked.

"Why not?" Hild nodded as she stared at the vehicle approvingly. "I think that is a good choice," she confirmed.

"Don't wait up," Hild laughed with a wink. "I'm leaving now!" she grinned.

Marller scowled in reply.

The vehicle vanished without a sound. The space it previously occupied was immediately replaced with air and Marller had to pause to admire the amount of skill and Hild displayed in her mastery over the energy that permeated all things. "Please take care," Marller sighed.

Hild held the steering wheel with both hands and grinned as her hair fluttered in the wind. She had appeared just behind a bend on a highway flanked by trees. She lifted her left hand and waved in reply to a pick up truck passing in the opposite direction. The driver had waved at her. She felt her spirits lifting as she accelerated through the corner and further down the high way.

The convertible funneled the scent of nature directly into her nose as she drove. She laughed aloud as she found herself needing to wave at nearly every person she passed in both vehicle, on horseback, or on foot. She enjoyed the friendliness of the part of the world she was currently occupying. She began to carefully read street signs until she located a small unpaved road darting off the highway towards a thicket of trees and a pasture.

The BMW churned the road and she listened as the gravel reflected off of the under body of the car. The road crunched as the tiny sports car wheeled its way towards a modest home made of sharp angles and covered with a bright red roof. She drove perpendicular to a white fence and a handful of grazing animals.

She slowed to a halt in the drive way and frowned as two large dogs bounded around the home towards her. The pair barked, wagged, and wiggled excitedly as they paced about the car baying a greeting. "Hello," Hild spoke to them softly. She heard foot steps and watched as Captain Rockwell stepped around from where the dogs had come running from.

"Hey ya'll!" The man shouted out as he began to clap his hands. The two dogs turned towards him and began running before jumping and bounding excitedly at his feet. He began to shoo them towards the house. "Ya'll get inside," he commanded the two animals and smiled as he waved towards Hild.

Hild waved back and laughed. She wondered if she shouldn't just hold one hand up and wave steadily lest she miss an opportunity to wave at someone.

The two dogs bounded up the steps of the home, crossed the porch, and rushed into the house as Lester Rockwell held the door open for them. He then closed the door and began to make his way back towards Hild. The two dogs found a perch at the front window of the house and watched the pair intently.

"Sorry about that. They love people," Lester spoke as he approached Hild's car. He wiped his hands on his jeans and then reached out to grip the handle of the car. He lifted it and the door opened at his touch. "This is a pleasant surprise," he grinned before extending another hand towards her and helping her from the car.

"Hello Lester," Hild spoke up with a smile. She reached out and gave him a light hug. She had worn only a few limiters and was overly cautious in her actions.

"I must stink," Lester cringed as he held up his arm and sniffed himself. "You want to come in and give me a second to clean up?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I was in the neighborhood and I just felt I should come see you," she replied.

"No. Not a problem," he replied hastily. "I was just working with the horses and I..." his voice trailed off and he squinted at her. "Just in the neighborhood?" he asked carefully.

"That is a lie," Hild sighed with a bashful grin on her lips. "I wanted to see you," she shrugged.

"Come on in," he replied as he gestured to the house. "If they try to muss up your skirt, you tell them no real sternly," he stated as he gestured towards the two dogs who were wiggling and wagging with growing intensity as they watched the pair approach the home.

"What are their names?" Hild inquired.

"Butternut and Butterscotch," Rockwell replied. "My daughter helped name them," he shrugged.

"I thought you had a son?" Hild inquired. She was well aware of his entire history but knew how to appear like a normal human being. He had never mentioned his daughter.

"Well, she is my half daughter," Rockwell rubbed at his neck with one hand as he opened the front door and ushered Hild inside. "My wife had a daughter from a previous relationship. She gave me my son. Should I just get out the photo album and chase you off up front or do you want to wait for all the crazy?" he grinned.

"We will have plenty of time," Hild spoke. She turned to look away from him as a surge of energy passed between the pair. She felt like a little girl again and it was invigorating.

"You mind waiting in here?" he asked as he jerked a thumb towards another part of the house. "There is a bathroom down the hall, my kitchen is through there, and you are welcome to treat this place like your own," he stated as he gave her a pleading look.

"Sure," Hild smiled softly. She turned towards Butternut and Butterscotch and pointed towards the couch. "Let's go," she spoke to the pair and made her way to the couch. The dogs followed her and jumped up onto the couch where they sat on opposite sides of her.

"Wow," Rockwell breathed as he watched the two dogs sit calmly next to her. "You must be a dog person," he grinned.

"We will get along just fine," Hild stated before shooing him away. She then placed one hand on either dogs head and began to scratch softly. The dogs sat contently.

Rockwell made his way down the hallway, entered the bathroom, and shut the door. A few moments later the sound of the shower surging on echoed down the hallway and Hild began to look about the room. She spotted a photograph in a frame that contained his family. The ex-wife was sullen, skinny, blonde, and a strange juxtaposition next to her smiling children and husband.

"Do you two like the ex-wife?" she asked the dogs. "I see. She doesn't look like a dog person," Hild nodded sagely as the two dogs looked up at her. She could see memories from both dogs of the woman kicking them under the table when she grew upset at their antics during dinner time. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

She spotted a container on the mantle over a fireplace and recognized it immediately as the remains of Lester's mother and father. She stood and approached the urn where she read the inscription 'Mom and Dad - We will always love you'. She closed her eyes and felt for the pair in Hell. She then reached up and gently stroked the urn. "Heaven," she confirmed.

It didn't take long before the sound of the water running ended and the door to the bathroom opened. "Hey! Hild!" Lester called out.

"Yes?" Hild called back in reply. She fought back a laugh as she realized what he had done.

"I am going to pass through in my towel. You might want to close your eyes," Lester replied with more than a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I forgot to grab clothes and I never shower in my bedroom bathroom when I have been working with the horses," he tried to explain hurriedly.

"No problem," Hild replied. She turned, crossed her arms and waited.

Lester began to hurry past her and felt his face heat up as he realized she was watching him. He began to laugh as he hurried through the room and past her.

Hild chuckled as well before whistling at him. She watched him until he had dipped into a room off of the hallway and then turned back to the mantle. She smiled as she looked at the small trinkets and awards that dotted the wall. It listed different accomplishments that no doubt were indicators of his love for his children. "4-H. Boy Scouts. How adorable," Hild spoke softly as she looked at a trophy that announced first prize in some relation to sheep.

"Sorry about that," Lester spoke again as he entered the room. He had hastily put on a pair of blue jeans, a clean button up, and a pair of leather cowboy boots. "Where were we?" he asked as he looked up towards the mantle.

"I was just admiring your children's accomplishments," Hild replied. She gestured towards the mantle and smiled wide. "I didn't get to see my daughter much when she was young. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to introduce her to some of my ways," she spoke.

Rockwell smiled at her and approached the wall. "You two spend a lot of time apart?" he asked as he looked up at the awards. It had been a long time since he had stopped to appreciate how lucky he had been to spend what little time he had with his children.

"I was denied custody," Hild replied flatly. She crossed her arms and frowned. "Her father was convinced I was a bad influence due to my line of work and I agreed to give her up for her best interest," she continued.

"Crazy," Rockwell frowned. "I mean, I didn't get custody but I am the dad and plus I was never home any ways when I was younger. Always deployed or away," he offered. "I guess they do things differently on the other side of the world though," he reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You two see each other more now though right?" he asked.

"A bit more," Hild confirmed with a nod. She thought for a moment then asked. "I'm not intruding am I?"

"Not at all," Rockwell replied. "How long did it take you to get out here?" he asked in a friendly tone as he gestured towards the couch. "Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

"It was like the blink of an eye," Hild smiled. She thought for a moment and then nodded. "Sure," she stated.

"I have water, sweet tea, kool-aid, and beer," Lester offered. "Silver bullets," he added quickly.

Hild nodded before smiling. "What color kool-aid?" she couldn't help herself.

"Purple," Lester replied as he began to smirk as well.

"I will take that," Hild confirmed with a nod.

Lester laughed and gestured towards the hallway. "This way," he stated as the pair made their way to kitchen. "So what can I do for you?" he inquired.

Hild pursed her lips and thought for a moment. "Do you think I am a spy?" she asked bluntly.

Lester stumbled for a moment, regained his composure, and continued to walk. He was much more tense. "Why do you ask that?" he inquired cautiously. He felt reluctance in allowing her to follow him now.

"I'm not," Hild continued. "I have a pretty good idea about your suspicions," she spoke as she watched him place the island of the kitchen in between them. He was taking a defensive position in the room and it stung her ever so slightly.

"It's a little strange," Lester spoke as he grabbed two glasses, filled them with ice from the fridge door, and then poured the purple liquid from a pitcher he had rummaged out of the large chrome door. "You don't exist," he replied.

Hild smiled. "I hadn't been made aware," Hild replied as she raised her arm and looked at her own hand with mock interest.

Lester smirked. "I informed my work about you. They looked you up. Except, they didn't. We couldn't find a single person in our records from all over the globe about you. Not even a Facebook," he stated. He lifted his glass to his lips, took a swig of the sugary drink, and then placed the cup back down on the island. "A pretty woman like yourself. Not a single picture of you online? No drivers license?" he looked at her with a hard gaze.

Hild raised her eye brows, nodded her head, and then brought the cup to her lips. She drank deeply and then looked down at the floor. "I have been untruthful with you," she sighed.

"Your name isn't really Hild, is it?" he asked.

"Oh no!" Hild shook her head quickly. "My name is Hild," she impressed on him before taking on a contemplative stance. "I am not really from around here," she spoke slowly.

"Well yea," Lester replied with a hint of frustration. "Japan or something, right?" he asked.

"A little bit more south," Hild stated softly. She pointed downwards.

"Australia?" Lester inquired with a raised eye brow and a look of consternation.

"Hell?" Hild half offered.

"France?" Lester shot her a confused look but the pair smiled at each other.

"Watch," Hild stated gently. She pointed at the glass and it began to float. It rose into the air, rotated upside down without spilling the liquid, and then completed the circle and landed back on the table. "Drink it," she stated.

Lester was immediately suspicious. He waved his hand over the glass, picked it up and sloshed it to the side and watched as the sticky fluid spilled on his fingers. He lifted the glass to his mouth and took a hard swig. "How did you do that?" he asked quickly.

"I have abilities," Hild stated carefully.

"Black technology? Are you a whispered?" he asked quickly. The man sat the glass back down, turned, and approached a small knick knack above the fridge. He picked it up off of it's hook, opened the back, and withdrew a battery. "I have a camera in case I get broken into. We don't need video of an unregistered whispered in my house," he breathed quickly.

"I'm not a whispered," Hild stated softly.

Lester stared at her. "What are you then?" he asked her slowly.

"I'm Hild. I am the Queen of Hell and a Demon Lord," she stated bluntly. "I'm also the first place winner of the Miss Hell competition since forever," Hild laughed but sobered herself as she realized Lester was staring. "Are you angry with me?"

"Demon?" Lester asked. "I don't see horns," he chuckled. "Really, who are you with?" he asked again. "North Koreans? Iran? Russia? Just tell me," he demanded.

Hild nodded but allowed her gaze to fall to the floor. She snapped her fingers and her clothing transfigured to her traditional Demon Queen out fit. The barely there and tight fitting dress hugged her figure desperately. She lifted her shoulders and dropped them, took a step back to clear any obstructions, and allowed her full wingspan to erupt from her back. She lifted the appendages up, waved them softly, and then drew them back to rest against her back. The massive white wings towered over her.

"God damn," Lester gasped as he watched her. He dropped his glass and it shattered on the floor. "Hell fire," he cursed as he looked down at the mess he had made.

Hild grinned and snapped her fingers. The glass reconstructed itself on the counter as the pieces zipped upwards from the floor and the spilled liquid vanished. The floors were spotless. "Don't worry, I can clean that up," she whispered. She felt oddly self conscious.

"Queen of Hell?" Lester inquired.

"Yes," Hild confirmed.

"The Devil?" he asked.

"Some call me that," she confirmed again.

"Am I in trouble for something I did?" he asked slowly.

Hild laughed aloud. She felt herself shaking as she covered her mouth with her hand. "Should you be?" she asked him.

"Probably," he shrugged.

"So now what?" Hild asked. She stretched her right wing out, shook it, and then gestured up and backwards with her hand. "Can I put these away?" she smirked.

"Be my guest," Lester replied. He held both hands up and shook them lightly as he attempted to process exactly what was happening in front of him.

"Thanks," Hild inhaled softly and the wings vanished. She stretched her arms up and out before shaking her hands lightly. "You think these are heavy?" she questioned as she pointed her thumbs towards her own chest. "You try lugging those things around," she continued as she pointed her thumbs up and over her shoulders.

Lester fought down a laugh and shook his head. "This probably sounds insane, but you look so good today, would you like to go out to a show in a bit here?" he asked.

Hild gazed at him suspiciously but nodded slowly. "What kind of show?" she asked.

"I had an invitation to watch some of the kids down at the High School perform. Nancy and her kids are performing and they asked that I come. They prefer I don't sit around alone all the time," he explained. "Nancy is a family friend and she teaches down at the school. Her kids are a few years younger than mine," he finished.

"You sure?" Hild asked him. She was genuinely surprised by the offer.

"If you want," he offered.

"Sounds fun," Hild confirmed with a nod. She looked down at her clothing, snapped her fingers, and transfigured her clothing to jeans, a button up, and a pair of boots. "Do I look more local?" she inquired as she performed a small twirl. Her long white hair encircled her body before bounding back in the other direction and cascading down her back.

"Good lord you look fantastic," Lester confirmed with a nod. He seemed to recoil at his own outburst and winced. "Sorry about that," he stated.

"It's fine," Hild laughed.

"We could probably leave about now," Lester offered as he gestured towards the door to the back of the home. "We can take my truck if you don't mind," he spoke.

"All right," Hild grinned. "You two be good," she spoke in a friendly tone towards the two dogs. The pair wagged their tails and sat patiently until Hild reached out and caressed each of them on the head in turn. The two dogs then turned and made their way to the front of the home.

"Are you making them do that?" Lester asked carefully. He seemed shocked and confused at their behavior.

"They can understand me a lot easier then they would a human," Hild explained. "When I speak, they can see my thoughts and don't have to process my intentions as carefully," she continued to speak as Lester gazed at her in wonder. "I am not compelling them to do a thing," she finished.

"Well, if the dogs like you, I like you," he nodded firmly.

"Well, if that is all it takes," Hild grinned as she approached the back door. "Shall we?" she asked.

Lester nodded, approached the hooks next to the door and grabbed a large ring of keys. He opened the door and gestured for Hild to exit. He followed shortly after, shut and locked the door, and pressed a button on a key fob that flashed the lights and unlocked the door to his Silverado truck.

Hild approached the passenger side door and stopped as she realized Lester had followed her. He reached past her, opened the door, and extended a hand to her. She smiled coyly as she reached out, placed her hand in his, and hopped up into the truck. "Thank you," she spoke as she placed her hands in her lap and looked about inside the truck.

Lester smiled in return, made sure she was secure, and then closed the door firmly. He walked around the front and pat the hood of the truck as he passed. He opened his door, gripped the handle attached to the B pillar, and hefted himself inside. "I'm glad you said yes," he spoke as he inserted his key and turned it firmly. The truck rumbled to life and the radio began playing an upbeat country song.

The pair rode in relative silence as Lester made his way back to the main road. He would point at different land marks and explain who lived where or owned what. He honked and waved as he passed an older couple walking on the side of the road together.

"Every one waves," Hild remarked as she raised her hand and wiggled her wrist at a car that passed them in the opposite direction. She chuckled lightly.

"It's a friendly place," Lester confirmed. He looked in the rear view mirror and began to laugh. "That is the best friend of my ex-wife and her husband," he gestured with his chin towards the mirror. "They are going to call her in a few minutes and tell her they spotted me with a new woman," he shook his head as he spoke.

"Hard to keep a secret here," Hild watched as the increasingly dense number of buildings still seemed lacking. The town itself was sparse with a handful of shops and stores, a single flashing warning light, and a handful of small restaurants. The largest building in the town seemed to be the High School she recognized by the large sign out front.

"Very," Lester confirmed. He found a parking space between two other equally large trucks and brought the truck to a halt. He nonchalantly reached over, pat Hild on the thigh, and spoke. "I'll get your door," he stated. He exited the truck, repeated his behavior at the home in reverse and helped her out of the truck. "You are going to meet a lot of people who are going to be very surprised you are here with me. Please be understanding," he spoke to her as he offered her his arm.

Hild giggled, paused, and then rolled her eyes. She shook her head and reached up to hold his arm. She was as gentle as she could be as she wasn't wearing any limiters beyond a handful she had on her ears, wrists, ankles, and in her hair. She gazed towards a handful of children playing near the door to the auditorium and smiled. She could see a group of parents huddled about talking with little attention on their cavorting young.

"Not many worries here," Lester stated as he raised his hand and waved towards a couple who had fallen silent and were watching him with surprise. "That is Nancy and Rick," he pointed at the pair with the hand of the arm that Hild was gripping.

She nodded.

"Lester!" the man identified as Rick spoke loudly as he approached them. Nancy followed behind with a suspicious look on her face. She couldn't seem to stop staring at Hild.

"Hey Rick," Lester exclaimed. "You catch the game last night?" he asked casually.

"Of course," Rick spat. He frowned but his demeanor changed instantly as he acted as though he had only just noticed Hild. "Who is this?" he inquired as he smiled at her. The NASCAR cap on his brow lifted as his thick face grinned boyishly.

"Hild," the Demon Queen offered as she unlatched herself from Lester and extended her hand towards the man softly. The pair shook lightly and she smiled toothily in the direction of his wife. Hild watched the woman come to a realization and rush towards her.

"It's so good to meet you!" Nancy exclaimed as she reached out and pulled Hild into a hug. "We hug here," she added before pulling away.

Hild stamped down her momentary surprise and smiled in reply. "Every one waves too," she laughed.

"We do," Nancy concurred. She reached out and gripped Rick by his arm. "No need to stare honey," she chastised him.

The man coughed and pointed towards the door. "Ready to head in?" he pointedly ignored her comment.

"Sure," Lester chuckled and shook his head before mouthing a curt "Sorry," in the direction of Hild. The pair held eye contact and she winked at him. They followed Rick and Nancy into the auditorium. It was well used and filled with the bustle of young children, parents, and teenagers. Hild felt the energy and it was palpable.

"Shall we?" Lester motioned to a row of seats and he allowed Hild to squeeze between the seats until they were in the middle of the rows. "Good choice," he stated as he hesitated for a moment, shrugged, and then placed his arm around her shoulder. He smiled as Hild pressed her self closer to him.

Nancy shot several furtive glances at the pair before flashing an encouraging smile at Lester. She seemed to be trying to give him a positive encouragement without being spotted by Hild. It was almost comedic.

"This is supposed to be real funny," Nancy stated as she turned her attention on Hild. "I love it. The kids are great," she spoke as she leaned forward and looked at Hild with an appraising eye.

"I am sure it will be great," Hild nodded and smiled. She thought for a moment and then asked aloud. "How long have you known Lester?"

"Since forever," Nancy laughed. She nudged Rick with her elbow and received a grunt in return. "These two were best friends and I started dating Rick," Nancy allowed her voice to trail off. She seemed distinctly uncomfortable but smiled in way of substitution for an awkward silence.

"She knows about Sandra," Lester piped up. He had stopped conversing with Rick just long enough to interject. He returned to his conversation.

"Sandra and Lester were a bit off and on," Nancy spoke. She shrugged and then cocked her head. "So what do you do? How did you two meet?" she inquired.

"I work in international management and we met after I tricked him into doing a little consulting work for me," Hild laughed and glanced towards Lester. He smiled but pretended not to hear her. "I do a lot of traveling and spend a lot of time on the job, but something told me I should see Lester again," she placed her open palm up as though it were a wall blocking the side of her face and whispered a little too loud. "Don't tell him, but I thought he was cute," she laughed as she put her hand back down.

Nancy laughed as well and reached over to smack Lester on the knee playfully. "It's nice of him to tell us that he had met someone. I would have dressed nicer. Rick would have too," Nancy chastised him and shook her head as Rick leaned forward and shook his head in the negative.

"I would have put on a clean shirt I guess," Rick joked. He winked at Hild and Lester laughed.

"It's starting," Nancy announced excitedly as the lights flashed three times and then fell dark. She reached over and pat Hild on the knee before leaning close and pointing towards a pair of teenagers. "Those are my youngens," she whispered proudly.

Hild smiled. She watched the children as they performed their play. Her mind however was many years away. She remembered when she discovered that Urd was cast in her own equivalent of a play. She had asked for permission to come watch and had been denied. She was not even allowed to have a recording provided or a memory imprint delivered. The other parents had objected and threatened to prevent Urd from being in the show if her mother was given any concessions.

"You all right?" Lester asked her with concern in his voice. He leaned close to her ear and whispered softly.

"Sorry, I was a million miles away for a moment," Hild whispered back. She shook her head gently, sighed, and leaned her head on Lester's shoulder. She made sure to laugh when appropriate and did her best to stamp down any thoughts of the past. The lights eventually came back on and Nancy whirled on her with a large grin.

"Did you love it?" She asked excitedly as she continued to clap and holler for the kids.

"I did!" Hild clapped as well. She understood Nancy and her excitement. "They were all fantastic!" she continued.

"Thanks!" Nancy grinned.

"Ready to eat?" Lester asked Hild. "We have a few restaurants, but the best food comes from my kitchen," he grinned at her.

Hild was thoughtful but nodded. "Sure," she stated. She had allowed her memories to sour her mood and fought to regain her composure. "Let's head on back," she confirmed with a nod.

"See ya later Lester," Rick seemed to be making a demand as he eye balled Hild one last time. He reached out and shook hands with Hild one last time.

The ride to the ranch was uneventful and Hild had grown quiet as she looked out through the window of the truck. She looked up at the sky and watched as the clouds gathered. It began to rain.

Lester parked the vehicle behind his home. He turned to face Hild and smiled at her. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern as he noticed her dour expression.

"Is this all right?" she asked in reply. She gestured around herself.

"I love the rain," Lester replied.

"What if I hurt you?" Hild asked.

"I suppose it could happen," he answered her. "Are you real worried?" he continued.

"This relationship could be dangerous," Hild continued to speak. "Could turn real ugly," she sighed.

"Well, I am ready to ride if you are," Lester chuckled. "No complaints," he stated firmly.

Hild turned her head to stare at the man. She inhaled deeply and smelled his scent before reaching out to place her finger tips on his cheek. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to reach out into his energy field. She rapidly read his entire being.

"You all right?" he asked curiously.

"I might be a little rusty," Hild spoke softly. She gathered her faculties, unlatched her seat belt and climbed up into the seat of the truck. She balanced herself on a single knee while digging the heel of her other foot into the floorboard. She leaned forward slowly, ran her fingers through his hair, and pulled him in for a deep kiss. He began to kiss back.

Lester reached down and pressed a button on the side of his seat. The seat leaned away from the steering wheel and Hild took the distance as a personal invitation. She clambered into his lap and the pair began to struggle to find a comfortable position in the front seat of the truck.

\scenebreak

"Honey, I think they get the picture," Lester interrupted Hild.

She paused and looked about the table. Marller looked as equally horrified as Urd, Skuld was grinning wildly, and Husna looked shocked. Sousuke remained passive but appeared distinctly uncomfortable. Hild cleared her throat lightly and then pointed at Lester. "Well, any ways, here we are," she laughed.

Captain Rockwell ran his fingers through his hair and laughed as he nodded. "Here we are," he confirmed.

"Go back to the part where you," Skuld fell silent mid sentence at the withering look from Urd. She covered her face but the shaking of her shoulders revealed she was laughing intensely. "Never mind," Skuld continued to laugh.

"Thanks for the nightmares," Urd scowled.


	16. Ah! A Former Goddess Has An Interview!

Sousuke started the process of inspecting his vehicle. He walked slowly around his car inspecting tires, reviewing the body panels, and checking his light housings. He stopped near the rear of the vehicle and tugged on the brush guard, made his way to the front, and repeated the action on the fore facing guard. A tinge of anxiety crossed over him as he prepared for his first day at his new job.

"Are you all right?" the soft voice of Urd filled the early morning air. She had approached him silently and watched as he fussed with his vehicle. She wondered if he was as anxious as she was. The beautiful Goddess ran the fingers of her right hand through her hair nervously as she approached his side and looked down at the tire of the vehicle with him.

"Just making sure I don't get stranded. Preventative checks and maintenance and all that," Sousuke explained before turning to face Urd. "How do I look?" he asked her.

Urd grinned wildly. She stepped back and peered carefully at Sousuke but wrinkled her nose. "I hate that you call it a cunt cap," she rolled her eyes as she spoke. She inspected his double breasted coat, all in white, with gold buttons. He wore matching white pants, black shoes, and a perfectly trimmed white garrison cap.

"As long as you approve of the look," Sousuke laughed as he looked down at himself. "Marller stated that my first day should be in class A," Sousuke sighed as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a pair of white gloves. "I would much prefer a sturdy set of BDUs," Sousuke placed the gloves over his fingers and stretched his hands.

"I would do you," Urd confirmed with a nod. She admired his outfit with a lusty glint in her eyes.

Sousuke felt his lip curl and he grunted at her outburst. "I am glad to hear that," he stated before reaching out and beckoning her to him. "Please be careful while I am gone. I will have my radio," Sousuke placed the palm of his hand against her cheek and drew her into a deep kiss. He released her and stepped back, kissed his finger tip, and then placed it on the egg he knew was tucked between her breasts.

Urd smiled in reply.

The Charger growled to life and Sousuke waved towards Urd as he began to pull the vehicle out of the yard. He caught movement in the window of the house and immediately noticed Skuld peering through the blinds. She didn't react as he tried to wave back at her. "I need to talk to her," Sousuke spoke aloud as he motored away from the house. He was worried about her mental health.

Sousuke spoke the words that Marller had taught him. An incantation designed to open a gateway between the realm of man and the realm of demon. He accelerated towards the portal formed by the bridge ahead and grinned as a flash of purple light enveloped the vehicle. His eyesight rapidly returned and he was barreling down a bleak and empty road with red sands on either side.

He reached out, flicked on the radio of the vehicle, and received nothing but static. "Not sure what I expected," Sousuke shrugged before making a mental note to purchase compact discs with acceptable music for his drive. He could see the amorphous mass of a massive fort in the distant horizon and felt himself relax. He was returning to his natural element.

Another shape quickly caught his eye. A small hut with what appeared to be a drive through was rapidly approaching on his passenger side and he felt his foot lift off the accelerator. He slowed, turned on his blinker, and pulled off to enter the parking lot of the strange little coffee shop.

Sousuke could see two figures bustling within the small building and he approached cautiously. He pressed a button on his door console and the window rolled down to give him access to the window of the hut.

"Hello!" a younger looking woman with what appeared to be deer antlers spoke as she pulled the window open. "How are you doing today?" she asked him as she leaned on the window sill. She reached up and brushed an errant strand of purple hair away from her eyes.

"Greetings," Sousuke replied. He made a point not to look at her antlers and felt increasingly concerned about how strange he must look to her. He turned his attention on a small board with the words "Hotter than Hell!" written in a collage of hues. Someone had drawn a small horned demon holding a cup of steaming liquid and a pitch fork with a thought bubble that contained a smiley face on it. Sousuke felt a strong desire to laugh.

"Do you know what you want?" the girl prodded him. She gestured with the index finger of her left hand past her body towards a small sign. It listed a bevy of drinks and small snacks.

Sousuke hesitated, opened his mouth and closed it several times, then finally blurted out "hot coffee with milk," in a rushed tone.

The girl smiled and nodded. "Anything else?" she inquired.

"Negative," Sousuke stated. He watched as the woman leaned back, shut the window, and turned away. His face contorted into a deep frown and he shook his head. "Get it together," he whispered to himself. A few short combat breathes later he was feeling much more relaxed.

The antlered woman returned to the window with a covered cup with a stream of steam wafting from the top. She also handed him a small bag. "Free doughnut. Thank you for your service," she smiled at him.

"First day down here," Sousuke stated as he nodded. He kicked himself mentally for allowing himself to be too friendly with her. He was having difficulty adapting and unsure of how to interact with the citizenry of this new world.

The girl smiled and nodded. "We heard," she replied. "I am pretty sure I saw you in a magazine," she continued to speak but the pink tinge to her cheeks told Sousuke that she had spent more than enough time reading about his love life.

"You may have," Sousuke replied with a grimace. He placed his cup in the recessed holder in his center console and drew the vehicle into drive. "Thank you," he spoke to her as she waved at him. He pulled away and out of the parking lot, returned to the highway, and continued his drive. He enjoyed being the only automobile in sight in any direction.

Sousuke accelerated onward and rapidly approached the sprawling complex in the middle of the desert. He peered to his right and noticed numerous figures moving about within the complex. He could see a platoon of demons running in formation near the edge of the fence. Several of them looked towards him curiously as he passed.

The first thing he processed was the lack of vehicles, armor, or any other heavy fighting machinery. There was a large field with numerous animals to his left and he wondered if they were mounts or served as replacements for mechanized war machines. He had spent many nights reading from dusty tomes provided by Marller but he still felt unprepared.

The vehicle came to a halt at a gate and two demons armed with massive swords and shields drawn across their backs approached the passenger side of the vehicle. "Welcome to Fort Laish," one of them growled between massive tusks. He pulled his lips back in what Sousuke assumed was an inviting smile. He could tell why someone may be afraid of someone like this demon.

"Thank you," Sousuke replied. He withdrew an access card from his wallet, presented it, and gestured towards the complex. "Division Command is the cathedral looking building?" he verified.

One of the demons grunted an affirmative and pointed towards a tower with several spires. "You will want to follow this path until you find parking to your left. You will then find two more who look like us guarding a large red door. Enter there," he rasped between his massive fangs.

"Will do," Sousuke nodded. He placed his access card back into his wallet, placed the vehicle in drive, and entered the fort proper as two gates opened in tandem to welcome him in. He motored slowly until he reached his destination, parked the vehicle, and exited his vehicle. Sousuke placed his coffee cup on the roof of his vehicle, adjusted his clothing, recovered the cup and made his way towards the two guards and their massive red door.

"Welcome Sir," the two demons spoke in unison. One of them moved to intercept Sousuke while the other gripped the handle to the door and waited for the clear to open it.

"Greetings," Sousuke nodded, fished his ID out of his pocket, and presented it to the demon before him. It didn't take long for his inspection to confirm his identity and he was being ushered into the building. He stopped in the atrium and waited until the door closed behind him.

"Sagara?" a gruff accent echoed outwards from a hallway to the right. An older man, bald headed, and well weathered stood in a red uniform similar but distinct from Sousuke's. "Welcome to Hell," he spoke as he approached.

"Major Cummins?" Sousuke inquired. He placed his coffee cup in his left hand, approached the man, and extended his right. "It's a pleasure," Sousuke spoke.

"Brave," Walter Cummins laughed as he pointed at the cup with his free hand. "You wouldn't catch me near a cup of coffee in a white git up like that," he mused.

"Stain proof," Sousuke replied with a chuckle. "It has been worked over with several enchantments," he smiled wickedly.

"Isn't that handy," Walter grunted before gesturing towards the hallway he had come from. "You are a bit early. I like that," he jerked his chin and the pair began to walk in tandem.

"I have been reading about customs and manners here," Sousuke spoke.

"Lord, you might as well start by reading about every custom on Earth," Walter chuckled. "You are going to have folks from every culture down here and more. You have full blooded faeries, demons, devils, ghosts, goblins, and all manner of Halloween rejects," he shook his head. "You ain't going to please them all," he pointed and the pair entered a larger room with numerous tables flanking each wall.

"Sounds a lot like what Marller told me," Sousuke nodded. "I hope to get started as soon as possible and be an asset," Sousuke stated. He placed his cup down on an empty looking table and looked about carefully.

"Well, you are going to have your work cut out for you," Major Cummins sighed. "We are down at least a third of our forces since the big fight," he shook his head. "Morale is low, recruits are sparse, and rumor has it that Heaven has lowered their standards in order to recruit more talent," he grumbled.

"Things are looking bleak?" Sousuke asked calmly. He gazed about the room and noticed several maps, hastily written orders, and other sundries that revealed that the room must see heavy use during work hours. He approached one of the maps and began to look at it as he placed his hands behind his back.

"Bleak?" Walter asked. He laughed deeply in a tone that came from his belly. "I saw sunnier days in the jungles of Vietnam," he shook his head and approached Sousuke to stand beside him. "We have regular incursions happening here, here, and here," he spat as he placed his finger on various points of the map. "Settlements destroyed here. Bodies found here. I have even found footprints in my garden," he grinned through grit teeth. "It's a regular bummer," he sighed.

Sousuke nodded. "Nothing happening here?" Sousuke asked as he circled his fingers around an empty patch of the map. A single line of text that said "Nest" was imprinted in a wide area of empty land.

"Hell no," Walter confirmed. "That there is dragon country," he laughed. "We have a forward operating base that functions as a care facility, but no, they don't mess with old Puff," Walter laughed again.

"Puff?" Sousuke asked.

"Puff the magic dragon?" Walter asked him. He gave him a curious look and then shook his head. "Forget it. You must be too young," he turned and approached a desk decorated in military paraphernalia. "This is for you," he stated as he hefted a binder brimming with manila envelopes. Each envelope was covered in a grid of lines with space for Sousuke to sign after he had finished with each packet. "Home work," he chuckled.

"Thank you," Sousuke spoke as he reached out and gripped the documents. The binder was deceptively heavy and he drew it in and held it with two hands. "Is there anything else I need to be doing this morning?" Sousuke asked as he placed the binder down on the desk next to himself.

"Well, you picked your desk, so you have that going for you," Walter spoke as he pointed at the table containing the cup of coffee and the paper work. "Other than that, I don't have anything until Husna and the rest of them get in here," Major Cummins shrugged. "I would get started on that while I finish the duty roster," he stated as he moved to take a seat at his own desk.

Sousuke nodded, sat, and began to rummage through the documents. He withdrew the top envelope, unraveled the red string that sealed the top, opened it, and slid the contents out into his hand. He began to read from the top of the document. The first envelope contained a list of the missing and dead leadership. He replaced the documents, sealed the top again, and then pulled a pen out of his pocket and signed his name at the top of the grid.

Sousuke spent hours repeating these same actions. He read about equipment, tools, and troops. He learned the names of many animals listed in the reports, read about aptitudes, and the biographical data on some of his coworkers. It was slow and tedious work but he felt he was making more progress sitting at his small heavy desk than he had since he left Mithril.

The sounds echoing into the room grew louder and more constant as the hours ticked by. A familiar voice spoke and he looked towards the door. He watched as Husna entered. She was turned at the waist and waving towards someone she had greeted in the hallway. She turned back, made her way directly to Major Cummins desk, and pushed a small container of writing implements over with the palm of her hand. The pens and pencils clattered out of the cup across his desk.

"I have arrived," Husna spoke calmly to the Major.

"God damn it girl," Major Cummins barked out as he leaned forward, gathered up his writing tools, and stuffed them back into their container. "Look," he pointed across the room at Sousuke. "You are getting me started in front of our new liaison," the Major growled.

Sousuke raised his hand and waved at Husna. "Greetings," he spoke.

"Good morning to you Sousuke," Husna spoke to him. She placed her fist over her chest, saluted him, and then smiled wide. Her perfect white teeth shimmered in the light with a powerful juxtaposition to her dark skin and the gold circlet around her brow. "It is the first day of a long and profitable partnership," she intoned solemnly.

Major Cummins rolled his eyes dramatically. "You need to fill out that paperwork I gave you yesterday," the Major drawled out before pointing at the wall. "I want you to take Sousuke to Forward Operating Base Nursery," he continued to speak. "He needs to meet Puff," he leaned back in his chair as he spoke.

"Yes sir," Husna nodded. She leaned forward, tipped the pens and pencils over slowly until it lay on its side, and then turned on her heels snappily and made her way to a desk as well. She reached into a drawer, withdrew a thick stack of files, and sat to begin writing on them.

"I swear Husna," Major Cummins growled as he lifted the pens and pencils once more to right them on his desk. He shook his head and brooded.

Sousuke smirked and tried to bury his nose back in the paper work. He gazed up momentarily and noticed Husna staring at him. They made eye contact and she flashed her teeth at him. He looked away instantly and made a point not to look towards her. She radiated a dangerous aura that made him nervous.

The trio continued to work in silence for another hour. Husna interrupted the silence by standing, gathering her documents, and placing them on the desk of Major Cummins. "Done," she spoke. She turned to look at Sousuke. "Are you ready to go?" she inquired.

Sousuke replaced the documents he was reading, stood, and then placed the binder inside of his desk. He found a small silver key inside, used it to lock the desk, and then placed the key on his key ring. "I am ready," he spoke as he secured his documents.

"Don't you let him get eaten," Major Cummins commanded as he waggled a meaty finger at Husna. "I swear girl," he threatened her.

"Yes sir," Husna feigned disappointment and smiled at Sousuke again. "I like the serpents," Husna spoke up as she turned to face Sousuke. "We can eat near the nursery," she spoke excitedly.

Sousuke swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Affirmative," he spoke. He followed Husna out of the room and to the parking lot where his vehicle sat.

"You are going to have to drive unless you want me to carry you," Husna grinned cheekily at him. She approached the passenger seat, pulled the door open, and sat gingerly.

"I'll drive then," Sousuke spoke softly. He entered the vehicle and started the engine. It wasn't long before the pair was riding in uncomfortable silence deeper into Hell. The landscape grew bleaker and more rugged the further they motored.

"You will hit the storms soon," Husna spoke. She peered out the window just as a massive blast of thunder rocked the vehicle. A torrent of pinks and purple tinged fluid began to buffer the window. "There is a constant storm that encircles their breeding ground. We assume it helps them to stay calm. They don't speak much you see," she spoke louder over the din of noise.

Sousuke gripped the steering wheel tightly. His knuckles were white and he strained to see through the kaleidoscope of colors, lightning, and the buffeting of the windows he was driving into. "Is this safe?" he inquired.

"For me," Husna laughed. She grinned at him and cocked her head. "We will be fine," she stated calmly. "The storm will abate soon and we will find ourselves within sight of the compound," she assured him.

Sousuke accelerated deeper into the storm, and as Husna had assured him, the storm began to let up. He could see a handful of towers and structures and he realized that the entire circumference of visibility was contained by the raging storm. He felt like he was in the eye of a cyclone. "Is there anything I need to know about the dragons?" he inquired.

"They are finicky, cruel, and dangerous," Husna replied bluntly.

Sousuke nodded. He brought the vehicle to a halt near the front entrance of what appeared to be a barn. He could see numerous demons sitting around talking who had rapidly come about to attention. They stared as Husna exited the vehicle and several of them made themselves scarce.

"Knight Husna," one of the demons spoke. He approached, saluted, and then gestured towards the barn. "They sleep," he stated calmly.

"Good," Husna nodded. She pointed towards the doorway. "We won't stay long," she spoke to Sousuke and then began to walk towards the entrance.

Sousuke moved with purpose to stride beside her and the pair entered the structure. He realized the floor of the building dipped downwards at a steep angle and he side stepped his way downwards until they found themselves in a massive underground pit containing the lounging bodies of numerous dragons.

Sousuke was awe struck as he looked about at the massive creatures. He could see saddles, tools, and weapons scattered about. A sound like a jet engine sucking in a waft of air filled the room and Husna froze. He saw the fear in her eyes and he felt his blood chill.

"You," a voice echoed off of the walls. A massive head rose up, sniffed again, and then lunged forward to press against his chest. The dragon sniffed roughly once more and Sousuke kept himself completely still as the creature filled his vision.

"My name is Sousuke," he spoke aloud. He hoped that the dragon could not smell his fear.

"You were present when my mate died," the voice boomed in his face. "She had fallen victim to the old ones. She died in battle proudly," the dragon growled.

Sousuke held his breath. He turned his head slightly, peered at Husna, and realized that they were both at the mercy of the creature who now towered over the pair. "She fought valiantly," Sousuke offered.

The dragon breathed out with a grunt but did not reply. It smelled him again and finally passed judgment. "You are the mate of the Princess," it stated clearly.

"I am," Sousuke replied.

"I remember the Princess," the dragon spoke. He turned his head, lay down, and then closed his eyes.

Sousuke looked towards Husna and remained silent as she raised a single finger to her lip. She turned, motioned to the exit, and ushered him out of the pit. The pair moved with a sense of urgency as they exited the realm of the dragons as quickly as possible.

Sousuke watched as Husna approached one of the demons and pointed at the pit. "Asleep?" she asked him.

"They were," the demon confirmed.

Husna appeared livid but she did not reply. She motioned to the vehicle and Sousuke entered the drivers seat. "We haven't been here more than five minutes," he stated as he brought the Charger to life. "Did the dragon hate me?" he asked.

"If the dragon hated you, we would not be having this conversation," she replied with a hint of anger in her voice. "We are lucky to be alive. I am going to murder Walter when we get back," she held her fists tightly and stared straight ahead.

"I guess he smelled Urd on me," Sousuke spoke to her in reply. "Lucky," he sighed. "What do we do now?" Sousuke asked. The tension in the vehicle was palpable and Sousuke could see Husna shaking softly in her seat.

"That is enough excitement for the day. We can meet the goblins tomorrow," Husna spat as she pointed in the direction they had come. "We can just eat at the Fort," she grumbled. "I need to find a way to relax after almost being obliterated by a dragon," she spat angrily.

"I don't entirely understand," Sousuke stated. He placed the vehicle in drive and began the process of returning to the Fort. "What was the point of that?" he asked.

"Normally they sleep," Husna spoke slowly. She adjusted her circlet and looked out the window. "They rarely speak to us. If ever," she continued to talk. "The fact that he took the time to interact with us was a clear message," she held her hand up and made her fingers mimic a mouth. "He could end us if he so desired," she finished.

"I see," Sousuke nodded. He had felt awe and a deep respect that bordered on fear when he had spoke to the creature. He never felt that it might attack him. Sousuke hesitated and then gestured with his thumb back towards the base. "How do they work with you all then?"

"They show up and do what ever they want," Husna replied. "They pick and choose when to participate and how," she shrugged. "I am scared of them," she finally admitted. Husna grit her teeth and looked at Sousuke. "Tell no one," she commanded.

Sousuke did not react. He made it through the storm and back towards the fort in silence. The pair did not communicate until they had arrived. The uncomfortable silence continued until they both returned to the room occupied by Major Cummins.

"Well?" he asked as he eyeballed the frowning pair. "What in the Hell happened?" he questioned them.

"We met the dragons," Sousuke stated calmly. He could see Husna staring at him from the corner of his eye. "They were asleep," he finished.

"Yea," Major Cummins nodded. "They do that," he confirmed. "Big old bastards aren't they?" he laughed.

"Very large," Sousuke confirmed. He turned his head, made eye contact with Husna, and nodded. Her frown faded and a softer look that bordered on respect seemed to take over. "I believe we still need to do lunch," Sousuke stated.

Husna smiled. She felt a great apprehension fade away and her shoulders relaxed. She had been unsure if Sousuke was trustworthy, but it was obvious, he had more experience in handling other warriors than she had expected. "Cafe?" she offered.

"I guess you two expect me to join you?" The Major asked. He grumbled and stood. "I don't have to like it though," he intoned. It was obvious from his body language that he was joking.

"If you have to come," Husna huffed. She flashed a soft smile at Sousuke and then pointed at the Major. "You take point," she commanded.

The Major chuckled and gestured to the door. "Let's go before I give you a reaming like you won't forget," he shook his head.

Sousuke breathed outwards and his lips curled into a smile. He remembered his team and his time with Mithril. He felt a wash of relief and the nervousness he had been feeling fell away. Sousuke had returned to his element and he was ready to participate again.

\scenebreak

"She has returned from her Valkyrie Training," Belldandy confirmed. She stood in the doorway to her home facing the boy she knew as Shinji. He had arrived on her doorstep after traveling for some time using the public transportation system.

"Can I see her?" Shinji asked nervously. "Is she here?" he pressed. He leaned slightly and peered into the large temple. He could see Keiichi fussing with a magazine nervously. It appeared to Shinji that Keiichi was unwilling to look in his direction.

"She no longer lives here," Belldandy stated calmly.

Shinji couldn't help himself. He felt a suspicious look pass over his own features and he frowned deeply. A thick crease appeared in his forehead as he stared at her incredulously. "Why wouldn't she live here?" he asked awkwardly.

Belldandy looked back towards Keiichi. The pair made eye contact and Keiichi tilted his head imperceptibly. He appeared to be trying to communicate something to her. Belldandy turned back to Shinji, sighed, and then extended her palm towards his face. She pressed her thumb against his temple and extended her will.

Shinji gasped lightly as a map seemed to appear in his minds eye. He knew where Skuld was and as his full faculties returned he stared dumb founded at Belldandy.

"They are unofficially in hiding," Belldandy spoke softly. "There have been some events," she continued to explain. "You must be very careful when you visit her," she explained solemnly.

"Thank you," Shinji exclaimed excitedly. He nodded several times and then turned, sprinted to the gate, and disappeared from view as he turned around the corner and broke into a full run. His footsteps echoed for a short while before fading away.

"I think I made a mistake," Belldandy spoke softly. She shut the door and made her way to sit beside Keiichi. "I was entrusted with their location by Urd. I know they are hidden from all others," she sighed. "I hope he is still of interest to Skuld," she spoke.

\scenebreak

Skuld sat alone in her bedroom. She had covered her single window with a sheet and blacked out any light from being able to penetrate her solitude. The room itself was illuminated by the harsh glow of an over head light bulb. She tinkered thoughtlessly. The clink of metal on metal echoed off the claustrophobically close walls.

Skuld recoiled from the gentle touch of Noble Scarlet. The tiny Angel frowned up at her. Skuld frowned back, turned, reached out and plucked a mirror off the floor and looked at herself. She sighed. Her eyes were rimmed with a tired darkness. The puffiness only accentuated the red, irritated tinge of her sclera. She dropped the mirror and let the weight of the world pull her down. She collapsed on her side and cried.

Noble Scarlet approached her, extended her arms, and hugged her face. The angel nuzzled into her hair and hummed. She glowed softly and Skuld realized she was trying to heal her. The spell surged unsteadily and Skuld clenched her eyes tighter. She felt a deep shame overcome her as the lack of effectiveness in the magic was a strong reflection on her own meager prowess in spell craft. "Everything is awful," she spat between fluttering breathes.

Noble Scarlet fell backwards as Skuld reached up, pressed her hand against her body, and thrust her away harshly. "Just stop," she demanded angrily. "No one needs a constant reminder of how shitty I am," she continued her tirade.

Noble Scarlet frowned, turned, and settled on the floor in a seated position. She crossed her arms and huffed angrily. The pair stewed uncomfortably with neither willing to initiate a cease fire. Skuld groaned and rolled over to face her back towards Noble Scarlet in turn.

Skuld flexed her finger tips, crossed her arms, and gripped her own biceps. She squeezed powerfully and clenched her eyes shut. She clenched her teeth and fought the emotional tempest in her gut. "Kiss my ass," she spat.

Noble Scarlet whirled on her with a look of shock on her face. She scrambled to her feet and clenched her tiny fists. A moment later her right hand was extended with a single middle finger pointed squarely at the back of her Goddesses head. The tiny angel shook with anger.

Skuld could feel and hear the movement behind her and she rolled over to stare at the finger that was lifted to face her. The pair held eye contact with each other and both drew deeper scowls. "You want to rethink that?" Skuld asked softly with a harsh edge to her voice.

Noble Scarlet smirked and began to move her hand in a slow and deliberate circular motion. She rolled her wrist almost imperceptibly. The tiny angel drew her face up into a scrunch and made an ugly face.

Skuld lunged towards her in an attempt to grab the little angel. The Goddess sighed with frustration as Noble Scarlet vanished and left her alone on the floor. "Piss off then!" Skuld nearly shouted. She rolled over onto her stomach, thrust her fists into the floor hard enough the house shook, and shoved herself up off the floor with a hop that landed her on her feet. She took several deep breathes and then sniffed once powerfully. "What the fuck?" she growled.

A few moments later the door bell to the home rang out. A jarring buzz filled the air and Skuld felt her face flush with anger. She could smell Shinji and the very thought of him judging her made her fall immediately ill. She approached the door to her room, gripped the handle, and threw it open with enough force that the handle penetrated the wall. Skuld felt her feet leave the floor and she immediately lunged down the hall way and towards the entrance to the home.

"Skuld?" Urd asked softly. She moved to the side just before opening the door. She cleared the precipice and watched with concern as her sister momentarily shimmered. The heat erupting from her skin could be felt several feet away.

Skuld ignored Urd, grabbed the handle, and swung the door open hard. She thought better of her self and placed her right foot out where she caught the edge of the wooden door. She could hear the door crack but hid the cringe she felt forming on her face as Urd scowled at her.

"Skuld?" Shinji asked nervously. He fidgeted nervously but couldn't help himself. He extended his arms and moved forward in an attempt to draw her into a hug. "I'm so glad you are safe," he gushed.

Skuld grimaced. She stepped back and waved her arms in front of her body before extending her left hand and placing her finger tips in the center of her boyfriends chest. "Don't hug me," she spat.

Shinji nearly collapsed. He felt as though he had been punched in the gut. "Why?" he stuttered out. He could feel his lips quivering as his arms fell to his sides. They felt heavy and immovable.

Urd felt her eyes open wide involuntarily. She grew immediately uncomfortable and averted her eyes. The scene unfolding in front of her was painful to watch. She could hear the young mans heart pumping in his chest and smell the pain in his aura. It was unsettling.

"I don't," Skuld paused, dropped her hand, and then steeled herself. "I don't like you now," she growled dangerously.

Shinji made a sound like he had been winded. His hands shook and he crossed his arms as he began to nod slowly. He opened his mouth several times but the only sound that came out was the whoosh of air passing over his teeth. He glanced to the side, spotted Urd, then dropped his eyes shamefully. "I just thought we were," he paused. "You came back though," he took a step back and out of the door.

"I didn't come back for you," Skuld nearly shouted as she swung her right hand to emphasize her point. "I'm not a fucking failure," she began to scream.

"I didn't say you were," Shinji attempted to placate her. He intertwined his fingers and rested his hands on top of his head nervously. He looked lost. "We can work this out. I can help you," he spoke urgently. "I don't understand," he whispered.

"There isn't anything to understand," Skuld shouted at him. "Don't come around here. Don't come back," she commanded as she pointed past him. "Just forget about me," she commanded him. "Humans and Goddesses don't mix," she yelled.

Shinji nodded several more times. His head bobbled like a cheap toy. He turned his head, looked to Urd, and spoke. "Best of luck to you and Sousuke," he stated as calmly as he could. He smiled encouragingly at her, looked back to Skuld, and turned quickly. He stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk but kept walking.

"Good bye Shinji," Urd whispered. She turned her attention back on Skuld and stared at her.

Skuld continued to stand in the door watching as he left. She ignored Urd for as long as she could before slamming the door shut. "What?" she spat as she rounded to face her sister.

"What is wrong with you?" Urd asked her calmly. "You are not the first person to ever have a problem you know," she continued to speak evenly as the pair held eye contact.

"Just leave me alone," Skuld replied. "No one needs Shinji," she yelled. "No one needs to be judged just because I couldn't finish Valkyrie training," she reached up and wiped at her eyes. "I'm not even a Goddess anymore," she gushed as she collapsed to her knees. "I lost every thing now," she sobbed.

Urd stepped forward, knelt, and sat on the floor beside Skuld. She reached out and pulled her to her chest and cradled her in her arms. "So what?" she asked softly. She rested a hand on the back of Skuld's head and squeezed her tightly. "So it happened," Urd spoke to her calmly as Skuld gushed tears.

"I don't have anywhere to go," Skuld spoke urgently. She leaned back and away from her sister to hold eye contact through tear blurred eyes. "All I am doing is waiting to die now," she wailed before falling forward and burying her face into Urd again.

Urd couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Dramatic," she sighed. "We are not waiting to die," she sighed.

"Easy for you to say, you have something to live for," Skuld growled against Urd's shoulder.

"Why would you toss Shinji away like that?" Urd questioned as she stroked Skuld's hair.

"I told him I was going to be a Valkyrie. We were going to move in together, and we had plans," Skuld replied as she turned her head and rested against Urd.

"So why get rid of him?" Urd continued to prod.

"Because I am a dirty liar. I failed and now I have no future. Why would I subject him to that? He can do better and I deserve this," Skuld scrunched her face and began crying again.

Urd leaned her face down, kissed Skuld on the top of her head, and sighed deeply. "Skuld, you are not a failure. You are not a dirty liar," she paused as Skuld interrupted her.

"I lied to him. I do like him," Skuld whimpered.

"I am sure he can forgive that," Urd tried to reassure her. "Just give it a day or two, and you can try to talk to him again, and this whole thing will blow over," Urd continued.

"I can't ever see him again," Skuld replied softly. "Not until I fix myself," she continued. "Didn't you see how he looked at me? He hates me," Skuld spat.

"That isn't what I saw," Urd replied softly.

Skuld grunted dismissively in reply.

"Humans and Goddesses do mix," Urd grinned cheekily. "Don't jinx me too," she teased.

Skuld smiled reflexively as she groaned and buried her face into Urd's shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she gibbered.

Urd laughed and hugged her tightly. "Every thing is going to be fine," she tried to reassure her.

The pair froze as the door handle jiggled. The sound of keys clacking together caught their attention and both looked up sheepishly as a tired looking Sousuke opened the door and peered downwards at the pair.

"Welcome home my love," Urd stated calmly as she smiled at him.

Sousuke smiled at her but his brow held a confused bent. "Why are you two on the ground? Is Skuld all right? Are you all right?" he asked quickly. "I thought I saw Shinji but when I slowed down, he spotted me and took off running," he continued to question and explain in tandem.

"We are all right. Just having a little talk," Urd reassured him. She scooted back in an attempt to encourage Sousuke to enter the home properly.

Sousuke entered, shut the door, and locked it. He seemed to get the hint as the pair stared up at him and he walked past them, entered the kitchen, and left them to their conversation.

Urd could hear Sousuke acquire a beer from the fridge, pop the cap, and sit at the kitchen table. She knew his hearing was not perfect, but it appeared he was listening to the pair and she knew he was probably concerned. Urd returned her attention to Skuld and spoke in an even tone. "Do you feel a little better?"

"Not really," Skuld sighed. She pulled away from Urd and laid back onto the carpet. Her eyes scanned the now upside down room. She spied the hefty box of high explosives sitting in the corner. Her eyes flickered to the couch and then to the television that was uncharacteristically turned off. "I just need a direction," she spat angrily. She slammed her balled fists down and back onto the ground. The house shook.

"Get a job. A new job," Urd offered in reply. "You could take a human job," she continued as she fell into a contemplative silence.

Skuld raised her eyebrow but didn't answer. She tucked her chin in and stared back at Urd. The tiny Goddess pursed her lips and frowned.

Urd shrugged. Her ears perked up and she turned to face the kitchen. Sousuke had stood, pushed his chair in, and was walking back towards the pair. She watched as he crossed the threshold of the door with his beer held in his hand. She could see Skuld turn to face him as well from the periphery of her vision.

Sousuke held his beer in his right hand and lifted his left arm up and over his head before leaning against the door frame with his body. He lifted the beer to his lips, took a deep quaff, and then extended his index finger away from the beer and towards Skuld. "You need to be awake by 0400," he stated with command in his voice.

Skuld stared at him with a confused look on her face. She nodded once.

"Don't make me late," Sousuke continued. He hefted the drink to his lips, drained it, and then dropped the bottle down the curve of his palm to grip the spout with his finger tips. "You will use Yes Sir or No Ma'am with every person you interact with. Understood?"

Skuld nodded.

"What?" Sousuke inquired again with a harsh bent to his tone.

"Yes sir," Skuld grimaced slightly. She stood and faced him. "Where are we going tomorrow?" she asked.

Sousuke scowled in reply.

"Where are we going sir?" she tried again.

"You are going to interview for a job tomorrow," Sousuke replied. He sniffed once, then stretched his neck as he tugged on his head with his free hand. "I will see you in the morning," he finished the conversation by turning and returning to the kitchen.

Urd could hear him toss the empty bottle into the trash with a clank, the fridge open, and the twist of a cap. She frowned but her demeanor changed as she noticed the focus that Skuld wore. She looked more composed and didn't look nearly as lost as she had only a few moments ago. Urd fought back a smile and a strong desire to roll her eyes.


	17. Ah! A Goddess Goes Missing!

"Kaname," Lind spoke the woman's name hastily as she dodged a wild side way swing of a training blade. "You are not learning," she grumbled as she lunged forward, placed her leg deep between Kaname's thighs, and then slammed her shoulder directly into the woman's breast plate.

Kaname grunted painfully and tumbled backwards. She tried to follow the momentum and toss herself into a backwards roll but failed to carry the motion and ended up splayed out on the ground sideways. "God damn it!" she cried out as Lind thrust the end of her sword into the hilt of her weapon and propelled it out of her reach.

"Do not use the name of our Lord in vain," Lind spoke evenly. She hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward once to build a bit more force. Her trailing leg swung forward quickly and launched Kaname across the floor of the training room. "Why won't you learn?" Lind shouted at the slowly rising form of Kaname.

Kaname rubbed her free hand ineffectually against the cold steel of her breast plate. She winced, bit her lip, and then fell to her knees. The blue haired woman released a baleful cry before pulling her shield off of her arm and tossing it towards Lind. "I don't learn because you aren't letting me!" she yelled.

Lind crossed her arms and waited. She had grown familiar with the outbursts of despair that Kaname was prone to. The sound of her pitiful mewling grated on her nerves and finally Lind broke. "Kaname, do you believe that you will ever rescue your friend. You claim you will one day liberate Athena, but you do nothing but ignore my instructions, cry, and waste both of our time," Lind exclaimed.

Kaname gasped and looked towards Lind with a shocked expression etched into her features. "I will save Athena," Kaname shakily spat between choked sobs. "I will learn," she continued to speak unsteadily. "Just let me learn," she begged.

Lind sighed and placed her training weapon against a pillar in the room. She dropped to rest on one knee and lowered her head in prayer. "Lord, please give me the strength to help one of your most lost find her way," she intoned solemnly before heaving a tremendous breath and standing back to her full height. "Come here," she commanded.

Kaname stood, bent to grab her sword and shield she had discarded, and made her way towards Lind with a sense of urgency. "What should I do?" she questioned with a hopeful tone.

Lind gestured for her to place the shield on the floor and then mimicked holding a sword with both hands. "Front guard," she commanded.

Kaname quickly mirrored her.

Lind mimed drawing the sword back while stepping forward, extended into a gentle riposte, and then swung a cross length cut with her imaginary weapon. Her actions were slow and deliberate.

Kaname repeated the actions clumsily.

Lind flinched and shook her head before approaching Kaname, moving around her, and embracing her from behind. "Loosen up," Lind demanded as she began to guide her charges arms in the motion of the technique. When she needed footwork, she would gently kick and nudge the heels of Kaname's feet with her toes. "This maneuver will save your life against a giant," she intoned.

"I want to beat Pallas," Kaname spoke through grit teeth as she continued to allow Lind to guide her.

Lind rolled her eyes and released the blue haired woman. She stepped back and crossed her arms. Her head shook disapprovingly.

"What did I do?" Kaname inquired with a tinge of worry to her voice. She looked back over her shoulder, dropped the weapon to her side, and then turned to face Lind. "What?" she asked again.

"Repeat after me," Lind commanded. "I am going to kill Pallas," she spoke calmly.

"I am going to," Kaname hesitated on the word kill. It seemed too dangerous. It was final and it frightened her.

"Kill," Lind stated again with a firmer tinge.

"I am going to kill," Kaname breathed.

"I am going to kill Pallas," Lind stated again. "Say it or I am going to strike you," she demanded.

"I am going to kill Pallas," Kaname replied with a wince.

Lind scowled and then her leg flashed outwards. She landed a bone shattering round house kick against Kaname's shoulder. The blue haired woman rolled with the blow and sprawled out upon the floor before scrambling to her feet. The weapon she previously held in her hand clattered away from her.

"I said it!" Kaname shouted as she held her arm and rubbed it. "What the hell!?" she cried out.

"You didn't mean it," Lind stated calmly. She stepped back into a fighting stance and raised her hands. "Say it again," she demanded.

"I'm going to kill Pallas," Kaname blurted out in a rush. Her voice was harried and she continued to rub her arm.

Lind lunged forward and thrust her left fist towards Kaname. She expected the woman to dodge away from the incoming blow and she did not disappoint. The now angry Valkyrie smirked before drawing her fist back and skipping forward to land a flutter kick directly into Kaname's chest.

Kaname fell backwards in surprise. The impact of her butt on the floor snatched her breath away and she immediately drew her arms in to protect her face and torso.

Lind felt her anger surge. She watched Kaname make mistake after mistake and it filled her with rage. "You stupid bitch," Lind cried out before hurtling herself forwards and down. She landed in a top mount above Kaname and began to rain open hand slaps upon her face, head, and the fists she had drawn in to ineffectually protect herself.

Kaname wheezed and struggled on her back. She tried to plant her heels on the floor and thrust her hips upwards in an attempt to dismount the Goddess. "Fuck you," Kaname choked out. She tucked her chin in and fought to recover.

"You are wasting my time!" Lind continued to cry as she landed blow after blow. She failed to notice Kaname trying to peer up at her between her clenched fists until it was too late.

Kaname launched her left hand up towards Lind and swept downwards with her finger tips. She landed a powerful hold on the Goddesses breast plate and tugged downwards forcefully. The movement was enough to upset the Goddesses vice like grip she held with her knees on Kaname and the blue haired woman took the opportunity. She planted her heels and thrust her hips upwards, nearly flipping Lind over her. The pair fell into a roll and Kaname landed on top of her.

Lind grunted painfully, drew her left leg in, and tried to push Kaname off of her. She was surprised that Kaname was able to dip her elbow between her thighs, block the blow, and then thrust her entire body forward to initiate the top mount properly. She grinned maniacally as Kaname began to punch wildly towards her face with her right hand.

Every blow that Kaname landed was met with an equally painful strike from Lind. Kaname was unsure of how to better control the fight beyond gaining the top, but it was less helpful than she had hoped. Lind would swing a hook into her armpit every time she struck the Goddess in the face and it was wearing on her tremendously.

"You are going to let Pallas kill you and Athena!" Lind spat through a mouthful of blood. Her lip split under the pummeling blows of Kaname and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I am going to kill Pallas and I will kill anyone who tries to stop me!" Kaname dripped spittle and sweat on the Goddesses now bloodied face. She winced and then tucked her fist closer to her face. She squinted and then launched her elbow downwards upon Lind. She kept her arm tucked and Lind was unable to counter attack against her arm pit any more.

"Good! You fucking bitch!" Lind shouted as she landed a painful blow against the corner of Kaname's elbow. She slipped her hands back up and began to hold her guard. The punishing elbow blows against her chin and nose were enough to spur her into defending herself proper.

Kaname leaned up and away from Lind. The pair stared at each other silently as both leaked blood from their lips and noses. Lind tucked her chin and smiled dangerously.

"Pallas is probably having his way with Athena every night while she wonders why no one has ever came to save her," the black haired Goddess spoke slowly in order to enunciate every word. She smirked. "You are a failure," she growled.

Kaname lurched forward and wrapped her hands around the throat of Lind. She placed her thumbs against her wind pipe and began to squeeze as hard as she could. Her vision blurred in and out as her teeth and her lips curled back into a wicked smile forced onto her features by the tenseness in her entire body.

Lind slipped the palms of her hands together in a prayer position against her chest and then pushed upwards towards the top of her head. She used her forearms to break the hold that Kaname had on her, extended her arms, and then cupped her fingertips around the back of the blue haired woman's head. Lind drew her hands towards herself with all of her might as she curled at the waist and slammed her forehead directly into the bridge of Kaname's nose.

A sound like a cantaloupe exploding echoed through the room as Kaname landed face first on Lind's forehead. A shower of blood similar to a partially blocked faucet erupted in every direction as Lind crushed the woman's face. Kaname placed both hands over her face and whimpered.

Lind reached up with her left hand, grabbed a handful of blue hair, and then pulled Kaname off of her. She tossed her to the side and then rolled over and brought herself to her feet. The Goddess stretched her arms across her chest, raised her arms over her head, and then dropped them. "That made me feel better," she spoke before reaching up to smear the fluids on her face with her left arm in an ineffectual attempt to clean her face off.

Kaname continued to hold her face as she rolled onto her side and curled her legs up towards her chest. She began to form a puddle of blood beneath her body as the viscous fluid continued to flow from her wounds unabated.

\scenebreak

"Hello?" Marller spoke as she raised her cell phone to the side of her face. She was still laying in bed, curled up and warm, when the sound of Sousuke's ringtone woke her from a particularly pleasant dream.

"Marller, this is Sousuke," the soldier identified himself from the other side of the line. "I believe I have created an incident," he continued quickly.

"An incident?" Marller asked as she sat up. The blanket covering her nude chest fell away and she reached up to cover her breasts with her arm. She felt the cold bite of the morning on her skin and found it unpleasant.

"Could you please come to Fort Laish at your earliest convenience. Now would be acceptable," Sousuke spoke in a calm but urgent tenor.

"Sousuke, what happened?" Marller inquired as she threw the blanket away from her body, slipped out of the bed, and then snapped her fingers. She wore her official robes and pulled her hair back into a regal braided hair style. "I am on my way, just talk," she spoke as she approached her dresser and began to gather all of her official implements.

"I brought Skuld to the Fort and they have flagged her as an enemy of Hell," Sousuke spoke rapidly. "We are currently surrounded by guards and Major Cummins is currently attempting to," Sousuke stopped speaking for a moment before his voice sounded unfocused. "Skuld, keep your hands up and don't antagonize them. Marller will be here shortly. We just need to stay calm," he continued.

Marller snapped her fingers, vanished, and then appeared once more near the entrance to Fort Laish. She looked about rapidly and spotted a crowd of demons with their weapons drawn surrounding the car Sousuke normally drove. She could see Skuld and Sousuke standing at the hood of the car. Marller rolled her eyes and snapped her flip phone shut as she approached the group.

"Ma'am," one of the demons spoke immediately as he noticed her approach. He recognized the personal assistant of Hild instantly.

"What is happening here?" Marller inquired as she watched Sousuke visibly relax at her sight. She had a strong urge to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "Why did you bring Skuld here?" she turned her attention on Sousuke.

"We need soldiers. I have brought a potential recruit," Sousuke explained himself calmly. "It would appear she is still flagged as an enemy combatant," he continued as he gestured at the gate. "I simply wish for her to interview," he finished.

Marller turned to gaze upon Skuld. She could see the defiance in the girls eyes but she seemed eager to please Sousuke and was currently keeping her hands up and over her head in surrender. Marller knew that even poorly trained as she was, she was more than a match for the demons at the gate.

Skuld grinned cheekily towards Marller before dropping her hands to her side. "Hi Marller!" the tiny Goddess spoke cheerily as she bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "We caused a little excitement," she continued to speak with an upbeat attitude as her eyes scanned the numerous demons staring at her.

Marller, politically trained as she was, remained passive as she eyed Skuld in reply. The Demoness crossed her arms, turned to Sousuke, and began to speak. "Sousuke, I will take Skuld myself to the entry program," she stated calmly.

Skuld immediately turned to look at Sousuke. She stared at him questioningly but did not speak. It was obvious she was waiting for his approval.

Sousuke glanced towards Skuld and they shared an unspoken conversation. Even without telepathy, Sousuke could convey information to Skuld with only his eyes. He seemed to reassure her with his attention. Marller was impressed.

"I entrust you with Skuld. Please make sure she is treated identically to any other recruit. She must earn this," Sousuke spoke as he turned his attention on Marller. "Absolutely no special treatment," he intoned seriously.

Realization dawned on Marller immediately. "Did you bring her here for the new soul entrance interview?" she asked him.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied with a nod. He cocked his head slightly and inquired confidently. "Is it not the correct course of events for anyone new to Hell?" His attention snapped to a handful of demons who still stood nearby as a few of them began to chuckle.

"For the dead," Marller felt her lips crack into a smile as she shook her head. "Skuld would not receive the same treatment," she explained quickly. "I must be honest with you, she is a special case and she will be treated as such," Marller continued to speak. "A former Goddess with Valkyrie training. She will be scrutinized even harder than a regular recruit," she spoke quickly as she cast a sympathetic look at Skuld.

"She will have no issue with passing any test asked of her. She has my full confidence," Sousuke nodded once with finality. He reached out and placed the palm of his hand on Skuld's shoulders with a light but encouraging pat.

Skuld looked towards Sousuke with wide eyes and a pink tinge to her cheeks. She looked back towards Marller and nodded her head with conviction in her eyes. "I can do it," she stated firmly. She shifted on her feet nervously but held her head high.

"Come with me," Marller spoke to Skuld as she gestured to her side. "We will be headed into the city," she explained as she held eye contact with Sousuke. "If she passes, she will receive additional instruction. If she does not, I will personally drop her off at your home," the Demoness stated calmly.

"Understood," Sousuke nodded and then made his way to the door of his car. He lifted the handle and entered the vehicle, looked back to Marller, and spoke to her one last time. "I look forward to hearing about her successes when she returns."

Skuld looked to the floor and grinned nervously as she approached Marller. "I'm ready when you are," she spoke softly as she crossed her arms nervously.

Marller nodded and snapped her fingers. The pair instantly vanished.

"You going my way?" Major Cummins inquired as he held out his thumb like a hitch hiker and gestured towards the base.

Sousuke nodded and the Major entered the vehicle. "I ain't been in a car in a long minute," he spoke as he settled into the seat. "I can't say I have needed to either," he chuckled.

Sousuke grunted and smiled before starting the engine and looking to the demons near the entrance. They mulled and made decisions and finally the gate opened and the pair were ushered into the Fort proper.

"You started one Hell of a mess," Major Cummins hooted as he placed an elbow on the door frame and propped his chin up by his fist. "What gave you the notion to bring an ex-Valkyrie down here?" he inquired.

"Skuld is my little sister and her love and loyalty to Urd is unquestioned," Sousuke replied. "I have trained her myself and I know she can learn. I think if we need help, she would be an asset," he continued.

"She is the one who is good with a wrench. Right?" Major Cummins questioned.

Sousuke lifted an eyebrow but did not answer. He paused as he contemplated the question.

"Every one knows about your Princess and her sisters down here partner. It ain't no spy craft. She has one that is good with a wrench and one who is real dangerous," the Major spoke nonchalantly as he waved his left hand in a circle dismissively.

Sousuke grunted in reply. "Skuld can build and she is a crack shot. A real marksman," Sousuke stated. "I trained her and her boyfriend. Ex-Boyfriend," Sousuke corrected himself.

"Ex-Boyfriend?" Major Cummins asked aloud. "She like old balding men?" he grinned as he looked towards Sousuke.

Sousuke grimaced as he peered back at the Major with an incredulous look.

"Oh Hell," Major Cummins rolled his eyes. "A guy can dream," he laughed.

Sousuke shook his head and laughed uncomfortably.

\scenebreak

Skuld was on high alert as she appeared in front of a multiple story building with the words "Join The Legion!" in large blinking letters out front. She looked around at the populous moving about their business and noticed neither threat nor danger. "Is this the right place?" she asked as she returned her attention to Marller.

"Yes," Marller cast an incredulous look on the tiny Goddess. "You think I don't know my way around here?" she questioned her with a frown on her face.

"No! I just," Skuld winced before pointing at a group of female demons window shopping at a nearby store. "They look normal," she lowered her voice as she spoke. Several of the denizens of Hell turned to flash scowls at her.

"We can hear you," Marller grumbled as she raised an eyebrow at Skuld.

"Sorry," Skuld looked down at the sidewalk below her feet and then looked up. "During my other training we were told that this place is full of monsters and horrible destruction and stuff," Skuld spoke low. "Last time I was down here was for a fight," she sighed.

"Yea, they say that," Marller relaxed and her face revealed understanding. "It's a bit different," she continued to speak. The Demoness gestured to a pair of glass double doors with the images of two horned warriors in armor blocking out vision of the interior.

Skuld took the hint and moved to the door, grabbed a handle, and tugged it open. She looked inside and found rows of heavy desks occupied by numerous demons in sharply decorated uniforms. Skuld stepped inside and shuffled to the side to leave room for Marller.

"How can I help you ladies?" a beautiful woman with two black pairs of wings approached them. She wore an immaculate white uniform emblazoned with numerous medals and ribbons. A prominent pair of pointed horns extended from her auburn hair line just above her brow.

Skuld was awestruck by the woman.

Marller reached into a pocket in her jacket and extracted a single gold foiled card. "Marller. Augmented Forces Relations," she stated as she extended the card to the woman. "I have a recruit with special circumstances," Marller stated as she gestured towards Skuld.

"Special circumstances?" the woman queried as she took possession of the card. She paused, sniffed the air, and then took a long hard look at Skuld. "Are you a Goddess?" she gasped. She squinted as she leaned in and peered at Skuld's forehead.

Skuld shifted uncomfortably and then shook her head. She thought better of it and then replied. "No Ma'am," the words rolled off her tongue and she felt the respectful tone was well deserved for the woman who stood in front of her. She fidgeted with an errant piece of string her finger tips located on the hem of the pocket of her pants.

Marller interrupted any reply from the woman. "Your name?" she inquired.

"Devil Cleric Kia," the woman replied easily. She smiled revealing two perfect rows of porcelain white teeth with a pair of sharp looking upper canines. "Do you desire that we provide her the complete battery of tests?" she asked.

"Please do," Marller confirmed with a nod. She gestured towards the Cleric with her right hand as she turned on Skuld. "You will be here for some time. I am going to go take care of some business. I will return for you. Moderation," she urged the little Goddess as she turned back and extended her hand to Kia. The pair shook and Marller left through the front door before vanishing.

"Skuld," Skuld spoke as she too extended her hand. The Cleric smiled at her, shook her hand, and then pointed towards a desk. "Let's do some paper work and we will get started," she explained as the pair approached the desk. "You look kind of familiar you know," Kia spoke as she frowned.

"I get that," Skuld chuckled nervously as she took a seat across from the Demoness. "Is the test difficult?" she asked.

"It's just an aptitude test to start with. We need to know what you are good at," she replied encouragingly. "It helps us to match you up with something you like and are good at," she explained as she gathered up a handful of documents and then handed them off to Skuld. "Fill these out while I get the testing room ready," she stated as she stood and made her way to the back of the building.

\scenebreak

Lind held a blue accented porcelain bowl in the palm of her hand clutched tight to her chest as she picked bits of food out of it with a pair of chopsticks. She drew the jade implements to her now healed lips, nibbled, and then repeated the actions mechanically as she stared at Kaname.

The blue haired woman stared back past a bruised but healing nose as she mimicked the actions. Neither spoke in the oppressive and awkward silence. The sound of the chopsticks clicking against the rims of their bowls and muffled chewing were the only signs that the room was not empty.

Lind finished her meal first. She used her finger tips to thrust the bottom of the bowl up and away from the palm of her hand, concentrated, and the implements vanished. She sighed in satisfaction before standing, stretching her arms up and over her head, and then dropped them to allow them to swing momentarily. "Good lunch," she spoke aloud.

Kaname grunted in reply but averted her eyes. She turned her attention back to her food, finished several more bites, and then squinted at her bowl. It began to shake and vibrate and eventually it faded from view. A few moments later the bowl reappeared and fell to the floor where it shattered violently. Kaname scowled and huffed.

Lind waved her hand flippantly and the remains of the bowl vanished from view again. She chuckled and waved her hand. The reconstructed bowl appeared in the air in front of her and she plucked it from where it hovered with her finger tips. "Try again," she stated firmly as she extended the object towards Kaname.

Kaname felt her scowl involuntarily deepen but she remained silent. She reached out, took the proffered bowl and turned her gaze upon it intensely. She narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth as she willed the object away into the nether. It rattled and shook but she was unsure if it was the spell craft or her own tensed muscles causing the object to spasm in her hands.

"Stop tensing. You are the master of the energies that bind these things together. You guide it. You don't push it. You can't push a river, but you can create a trench and let the river flow where you want," Lind spoke rapidly as she watched the now trembling Kaname struggle with the task.

Kaname sighed, closed her eyes, and then took a deep breath. She dropped her shoulders, reopened her eyes, and then placed a finger tip against the bowl. Her lips moved inaudibly as she drew her finger away from the bowl slowly. Eventually the bowl vanished and she spoke aloud rapidly. "Oh! Thank God!" she exclaimed as she wiped her now damp palms on her pants leg.

"What was the incantation you were whispering to yourself?" Lind inquired curiously.

Kaname flushed and she looked away quickly. "Nothing," she whispered.

"I saw you speaking to yourself. I am right here you know," Lind chastised her and the pair made eye contact.

"I used a spell I made up," Kaname spoke evasively.

"The words were," Lind spoke firmly leaving room for Kaname to reply and finish the sentence.

"Vanish you piece of shit or I am going to throw you against the wall," Kaname replied softly.

Lind laughed uproariously.

\scenebreak

Skuld bit her lip nervously as she wiggled a pen back and forth between her thumb and index finger. She paused, pressed ink to paper, and then returned to fidgeting nervously. She read from her test booklet voraciously as she placed her left index finger on the page in order to emphasize an important piece of information in the question.

The written portion of her exams covered an interestingly varied amount of information. She stumbled on medical related questions, had issues with history, and found herself trying to remember old rhymes and mnemonics for spell craft and magic. However, she found the technology sections to be rudimentary and her understanding of the World Tree to be close to perfect.

"What is a glow fin?" Skuld groaned aloud as she leaned back in her chair, placed both hands on the desk, and tilted her head up to look towards the ceiling. She grunted sharply and allowed her eyes to drift about the room. The walls were white and the air was cold. She looked down at the tiled floor and noticed a thinly drawn mosaic that was barely perceptible even if you were looking for it.

The rest of the room was empty, and Skuld placed her hands over her face. "What am I doing?" she questioned herself as she lifted the pen and began to juggle it between her finger tips nervously. "Who am I doing this for?" she thought to herself. "Me," she spoke softly. "I am doing this for me. I want to be useful. I want to be an asset," she spoke aloud as she stared down at the pen.

Skuld took several deep breathes, cleared her head, and then returned to writing. She scratched at her answer sheet rapidly as she forced down the nagging voice that warned her that she could not succeed. "Sousuke believes in me," she repeated as she hunched over the desk and continued to rapidly smash through the test. She eventually finished her test and placed the pen on the table.

"Done," she stated firmly. As if the words summoned her, the Cleric opened the door to the room and entered in a single confidant motion. The rapid movement startled Skuld and she tensed in her seat. She watched the woman enter the room and admired the way the Cleric moved with such ease and grace in her uniform.

"Feels good to be done, doesn't it?" Cleric Kia asked as she moved towards where Skuld sat, reached out, and took the pen and testing documents. "I remember the first time I took the test," she spoke as she shuffled the papers until they were flat and then used a gentle flick of her wrist to vanish the implements away.

"How did you feel you did?" Skuld questioned her carefully.

"I thought I flunked the whole thing," the Cleric laughed as she grinned at Skuld. "I was sure I was going to be used for target practice or something," she shook her head as she placed her immaculately manicured hands on her hips.

"I kind of feel that way myself," Skuld sighed as she chewed her lip nervously.

A pop sound echoed in announcement of the return of the test sheet. Cleric Kia snatched the paper from the air with her right hand and held it out. "Results are back," she stated as she smiled wide.

Skuld felt her stomach fill with ice as she nervously watched the woman before her peruse the papers in silence. She fidgeted in her seat.

The Cleric leaned her head to the side and peered at Skuld from behind the paper. She scowled for a moment and Skuld felt her heart fall.

"That bad?" Skuld asked quietly.

Cleric Kia immediately smiled and dropped the hand holding the paper to her side. "You did fine," she reassured Skuld with an encouraging giggle. "You have got to relax," she urged her.

Skuld slumped in her seat and exhaled hard. "You scared the crap out of me," she groaned as she placed her sweating palms on her head.

The Cleric smiled, snapped her fingers to summon a chair, and then sat down in front of Skuld. "You have any idea what kind of position you are looking for?" she inquired carefully.

"I don't know," Skuld replied nervously.

"Well, you qualify for some interesting positions," she replied encouragingly. "You can work any of our technology related positions, in Earth Operations, or with a little work you could get into one of our more special programs," she stressed the word special as she grinned at her. "You don't qualify for any of our medical related positions however so I won't be much use in explaining some positions myself," she stated.

"When do I have to pick?" Skuld asked her.

"Well, you have a couple more tests to finish, but you will need to come up with a top three list before you get assigned to your training group," she explained. "From what I see here, you would do great in our Earth Operations division," she stated plainly.

"What is that?" Skuld replied. She leaned forward intently and stared into the Cleric's eyes. She swallowed hard and tried her best to absorb every bit of information coming from the woman.

"You would be tasked with acquiring technology and the means necessary to exploit that technology in order to provide us with an edge in battle against the folks upstairs," the Cleric replied as she pointed a single index finger upwards. She grinned dangerously. "You would be dealing with advanced evolution humans," she spoke with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Who are they?" Skuld inquired with a tinge of confusion to her voice. "Why would we need anything from humans?" she asked as she cocked her head slightly.

"They call them 'Whispered' on Earth," Cleric Kia began to explain but halted as Skuld interrupted her.

"Oh, like Kaname," Skuld spoke as she nodded her head.

"You know one?" the Cleric asked as she frowned.

"I," Skuld hesitated as a deep guttural groan escaped her lips. "I might have killed her," Skuld shrugged and averted her eyes bashfully. "I hit her in the head with my hammer," she finalized firmly.

The Cleric nodded her head several times and then shook off the disbelief. "Well, I guess that answers some of my other questions," she chuckled softly and then stood. "Are you ready to continue your tests?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Skuld stated as she stood.

\scenebreak

"Now would be nice," Major Cummins spoke as he erupted into laughter. He leaned back in his seat and released a powerful and deep belly laugh that shook his entire body. "You should'a seen this boys face," he choked out as he wiped at his eyes.

Sousuke frowned as Husna covered her mouth and fought to hide her mirth as well. "I don't see how that is humorous," Sousuke stated as he eyeballed the Major. He could feel heat in his cheeks as he crossed his arms.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. It's all in good fun," the Major spoke as he fought to control his laughter. "Ain't no one got hurt. But God Damn, if that wasn't the last thing I expected this morning. I done thought you had got your pecker stuck in the security gate the way you sounded when you reached out for me," he chuckled again. "I believe I need some assistance at the gate Sir," the Major continued to mimic Sousuke and his stoic mannerisms as he emulated their earlier communication.

Husna erupted into laughter and placed her hands over her mouth as she stared at Sousuke in an attempt to look sympathetic. Her wide white rimmed eyes danced excitedly as she continued to hide her obviously smiling mouth behind her hands.

Sousuke felt his lip curl into an involuntary grin and he nodded his head several times. "It was a little funny," he conceded before shrugging his shoulders. "I just wanted to bring in a good recruit," he offered.

The Major sobered himself to a hard smirk as he shook his head. "A good recruit?" he queried. "Son, there ain't been a defection of a Goddess to Hell since the big one," he stated solemnly. "You done made history with this one," he chuckled and grinned.

"Surely there have been others," Sousuke questioned as he creased his brow in rapt attention.

Husna shook her head in the negative as she fell quiet as well. The smile that had played upon her features vanished as she too held a contemplative look. "How did you do it?" the succubus asked him in a voice only a little above a whisper.

"Do what?" Sousuke inquired in reply. He showed confusion in his brow as he turned his full attention on Husna and her question.

Husna grinned devilishly and began to speak but what ever words about to pass her lips fell to silence as the Major held up his hand to hush her. She flashed her teeth at Sousuke and ran her eyes over him hungrily but the look faded and she returned to her normal self rapidly.

Sousuke felt the urge to flee from her presence for a moment but he pushed his concerns down and continued to stare into her eyes. "I don't understand," he spoke as he noticed the change in the room immediately.

"Son," the Major spoke as his face turned stern. "You don't understand half of what is going on around you," he chastised Sousuke as he reached up to straighten the collar on his uniform jacket.

Sousuke bristled at the admonition and returned an equally foul scowl towards Major Cummins. "Would you mind explaining what the problem is?" he asked him through grit teeth.

Husna placed her hands on the edge of the table and her muscles drew taught. She flashed her teeth at Sousuke and the table inched forward imperceptibly. She released her grip on the table as Major Cummins reached over and tapped the back of her hand with a stern rapt from his knuckle.

"Look. Ain't no one trying to disparage you," Major Cummins spoke quickly as he held up both hands. "You need to see it from our view," he continued to speak as Sousuke visibly calmed.

"I do not understand and I wish I did," Sousuke replied evenly.

"The little girl is the sister of Belldandy and our Princess," Husna stated.

Sousuke turned his attention on Husna momentarily but returned to holding eye contact with Major Cummins as the man began to speak again.

"No one knows what that means," the Major spoke as he waved his hand. "Look, Belldandy is a universally famous figure in our world. She was the jailer for our Princess and is also the best Valkyrie to ever crawl out of that vagina they call Heaven," the Major spat as his face grew red in contemplation of the perceived wrongs that he had experienced.

"I have met Belldandy. She was very protective of Urd," Sousuke stated flatly. He held an even tone as he crossed his arms and dipped his chin to his throat.

Husna huffed.

"Hanoi 'Dandy can kiss my ass," Major Cummins grumbled. "She is the epitome of everything that the bad guys upstairs are and you brought her little sister down here. Skuld was expected to grow up just like Belldandy and instead she is down here eating out of your hand," the man continued to speak.

"She is marked. Are they yours?" Husna questioned him flatly.

"No! She is my little sister!" Sousuke spoke quickly as a shocked look flashed across his features. "I would never act untoward Skuld," he finalized his statement by slapping the top of the table with his palm.

Husna grinned at him but did not speak.

"When folks find out that Skuld signed up for the Legion, saying she makes it," the Major shook his head as he spoke. "You gonna start some shit," he stated flatly.

Sousuke was about to reply but he stopped and began to contemplate the statement.

"Those in Heaven will believe that Urd has contributed to her delinquency in some kind of grand plan and those in Hell will believe she is starting with her own family to return to rule," Sousuke stated softly.

"Son, she might have dropped her drawers and mooned the pearly gates at this point as long as any of the civilians are going to be concerned," Major Cummins chuckled to himself as he pointed at Sousuke. "You turned Urd and Skuld into two of the most powerful and dangerous women in the Universe as far as anyone else is concerned," he finished.

Sousuke groaned as he placed a hand over his face. "I just wanted to help Skuld," he spoke as he leaned his head back and drew his hand down over his face. "She desired some kind of direction and I believed military service would assist her in finding her center," he explained himself rapidly.

"You need to put on your big boy pants, strap in, and get ready for the ride," Major Cummins spoke calmly as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. "Ain't no turning back from this one," he chuckled as his lined face wrinkled in a wide grin.

"There is too much I do not know," Sousuke spoke softly as he mimicked the Major in mannerism with only a frown in substitution. "I can't keep going into these fights blind," he stated.

"You're in the shit now," Major Cummins spoke as he smiled wide. "It ain't going to do nothing but get worse."

\scenebreak

Skuld grunted rhythmically as she continuously performed chin ups on a bar. She grit her teeth and yanked herself up forcefully before lowering herself in a controlled manner. She had lost count of how many times she had performed the action but no one had asked her to stop and so she mechanically repeated the exercise as her body began to drip with sweat.

"May I ask you something? It's a personal inquiry," Cleric Kia spoke aloud as she stood to the side of Skuld. She held her arms crossed and she stared at Skuld sternly.

"Sure," Skuld grunted as she continued her demonstration of her physical prowess. The veins in her lithe arms bulged and surged as she continued to move up and down rapidly.

"The markings beneath your arms. How did you get them?" the Cleric inquired softly.

Skuld froze mid pull up, tilted her head down to gaze at the Cleric, and then began to pull herself up and down again. She didn't answer but she felt distinctly vulnerable as she noticed the change in attitude from the demon woman before her.

"It's important that I know," the woman pressed a little more firmly as her gaze held on the bushel of roses imprinted beneath her arm.

Skuld pulled herself upwards and held her chin above the bar, released her left hand and held the arm out, and began to perform single handed chin ups as she balanced her self with her extended arm. She grit her teeth and then paused again in the full up position. "My boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend," she stated flatly.

"Was he a human?" the Cleric inquired calmly.

Skuld grunted an affirmative sounding reply and began to alternate arms as she continued performing pull ups.

"You are very strong," Cleric Kia stated flatly. "Very smart in the ways of the humans," she stated matter of factually. "Why are you really here?"

"Am I done with this test?" Skuld asked in reply.

"With flying colors," the Cleric replied.

Skuld released the bar and dropped to the floor with a thud. "I want to be an asset," Skuld stated flatly. "I want to do my part like my sisters boyfriend," she spoke as she wiped at her brow with her now glistening fore arm. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family," she stated.

"Who is your sisters boyfriend?" Kia asked.

"Sousuke. He is a human too. He is kind of goofy," Skuld stated as she began to twist at the hips with her arms and elbows up. She stretched and moved as she shook off the exercise from her body.

The Cleric froze and her eyes grew wide. She seemed to be staring at Skuld with new found understanding. She hesitated, fidgeted, and then inquired of Skuld slowly and carefully. "Who is your sister?" she wondered aloud. Her voice held a nervous tinge.

"Her name is Urd," Skuld replied softly. She coughed, rubbed her chin with her left hand, and then smiled nervously.

"Is she familiar to me in some way?" the Cleric asked carefully.

"Probably," Skuld nodded slowly. "That doesn't matter," she stated flatly. "I am here for me," she drew in an anxious and ragged breath before hissing between her teeth and trying to relax.

The woman nodded nervously, then gestured to the door. "Shall we finish?" she asked her with an encouraging smile.

Skuld nodded, snapped her fingers, and she refreshed herself immediately. The action caused the Cleric to flinch and the pair stared at each other momentarily before Skuld grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she stated softly as she attempted to look thoroughly abashed.

"It's fine," the Cleric replied as she smiled at her. "Shall we?" she queried as she gestured towards the door once more. She reached out, opened it, and then held it for Skuld. "After you," she stated carefully.

\scenebreak

"Marller my dear," Hild spoke as she held up her hand, fingers spread, to peer at her nails. "Could you tell me what happened this morning at the Fort?"

Marller peered up from her documents towards Hild. The demoness was puzzled because she had made it into work on time even with her early morning detour. She pursed her lips and a look of confusion passed over her features before a realization dawned on her. "Sousuke," she stated as though it explained every thing.

"And?" Hild prompted her. She yawned, covered her parted lips with the palm of her hand, and then tilted her head to gaze at Marller sharply.

Marller gave Hild a puzzled look as she shrugged her shoulders. "He brought Skuld for an interview. I took her to the Legion recruiting office and requested she receive a complete battery," she stated as she held eye contact with Hild.

"Marller," Hild heaved a sigh as she reached up with both hands and began to rub her temples. "We have talked about this. You sometimes forget to look at the big picture. Right?" she spoke softly as her eyes shut and she began to take deep breaths.

"Sure," Marller replied as she sat her quill down and turned to place her full attention on Hild. "I mean, it is Skuld. If it had been Urd knocking down our door looking for a job I would have called you right away," Marller offered her explanation as she held up her hand in a motion of presentation.

"Skuld is very close to Urd and they are very important to each other," Hild stated flatly as she held her eyes upon the young demoness before her. "I see your reasoning but I think you should have made an exception here. You released a marked ex-Valkyrie into the hands of a group of individuals purpose trained for destroying her kind," Hild stated as she circled her dainty hand at the wrist.

Marller blanched. "I mean, I told them to test her. I didn't tell them to kill her," she choked out the words rapidly as her face contorted into a mask of worry and concern. "I said she was special to Sousuke and I would take care of it," she barely breathed as the words poured from her mouth.

Hild nodded her head several times and then leaned forward on the table before her to rest her elbows and prop her head up on her intertwined fingers. "You need to turn the assignments you have for today over to one of your subordinates, go to the testing center, and monitor the tests. Do you need me to go as well?" she asked as she held a hard glare on Marller.

"No. I have this. I mean, she didn't even finish a week at Valkyrie training. How bad can it be right?" Marller asked hurriedly as she stood, snapped her fingers, and waved her hand towards the door. "I have dropped a note and my documents with the scribes. They will figure it out," she spoke as she began to smooth her robes with her hands.

"Perhaps we will go to dinner as a group this evening," Hild offered. She unlocked her fingers, gently waved with her left hand, and then returned her fingers to the bridge she used to support her head. She smirked as she watched her prepare to depart. "Hurry now," Hild spoke up.

"On my way," Marller nodded and then vanished.

Hild turned her head to the door to the room, a massive oak furnishing with intricate carvings of demonic art work, and a look of consternation passed over her features. She lifted her head from where they rested on her fingers, sat straight, and then stood. A moment later the door swung open violently and a goblin burst into the room at a near running pace.

Hild remained silent as the short and green being breathed in gasps. He clutched a golden scroll in his hand, attempted to speak, and then extended the roll of gold towards Hild hurriedly. His knobby fist shook uncontrollably as he attempted to emphasize the outstretched object by staring at it with bulging eyes.

"What has happened?" Hild asked quickly as she snatched the documents away, span them open, and then peered at the hanging text.

"Imminent attack," the goblin wheezed as he sucked in a massive breath. He had run the entire way from the nearby intelligence burrow and now struggled under his exertions. His green tinged face was flush and his eyes wide. "Urd," he breathed out in a gasping wheeze as he pointed at the scroll with a long nailed and bony finger tip. "Rescue team dispatched," he heaved one more tremendous attempt at a full breath before falling to one knee and then collapsing on his side. He had succumb to his weakness and lay unconscious at her feet.

Hild tossed the scroll away from herself and it vanished in an acrid puff of smoke. Her eyes glowed a deep purple and her finger tips elongated. She took a deep breath, waved her hand once over the body of the goblin before her, and transported him to the medical unit of Clerics within the city. After several moments of deep breathing and concentration she stamped down the urge to transform, returned her eyes and hands to normal, and vanished silently.

A massive mushroom cloud of smoke and debris towered high above where Hild stood. She tilted her head up and stared at the thick black smoke as it rose above the carnage that was once the home that Skuld, Sousuke, and Urd lived in. Her attention was caught by movement to her right and she watched as numerous demons began to flood into the area.

"Urd," Hild whispered as she reached out with her mind for any sign of life within the now destroyed home. She could sense nothing. She blinked her eyes several times in order to clear the aqueous haze that blurred her vision.

"Ma'am," a feminine voice called out towards Hild. She tore her eyes from the massive column and put her full attention on the rifle wielding demoness before her. She wore a black battle dress uniform, a black plate carrier emblazoned with the word "POLICE", and a field cap in black.

"Report," Hild spoke flatly. Her hands shook as she crossed her arms and tucked the trembling appendages close to her body. "Have you recovered the body of my daughter yet?" she asked softly.

"It isn't safe here yet," the woman spoke quickly as she approached Hild. She reached out, placed her hand gently on her elbow, and ushered her in a direction opposite of the slowly collapsing cloud. An oppressive storm of dust began to choke the atmosphere. "I must ask you to move somewhere safer. Please my Lord," she urged her.

"Unhand me," Hild growled low. She lifted her elbow up and out of the hand of the woman, planted her heels firmly, and then thrust her left hand out towards the home. The particulate matter in the air slowed, froze, and then rapidly accelerated up and away. The evidence of what ever attack occurred was banished with prejudice and the only reminder of the violence inflicted was the now flattened remains of the home.

The demoness bowed her head imperceptibly, took a step back, and hesitated before speaking. "We have found no evidence that Urd, Skuld, Sousuke, or her child were present in the blast at this time," she stated as her eyes began to scan the sky.

"Find her," Hild commanded. Her tone was ice and she looked no where but at the remains of the home. Her nose tingled as the acrid scent of the smoldering remains bit at her senses. She could hear the crackling of the fire and she finally felt old. The weight of reality sat heavy on her shoulders and despair crept from her gut up her spine towards her mind slowly. She felt ill.

Hild turned to face away from the house as two figures materialized on the sidewalk. The moment that Sousuke appeared he broke into a run towards the home. "Where is she?" his voice was panicked and demanding. He never looked at Hild as his eyes scanned the rubble. "Where?" he cried out with clenched fists.

Hild spoke softly in reply. "I don't know," her voice was even but a fearful tone leaked out from between the hard edges. "I can't sense her," she finished.

"How?" Sousuke demanded. He felt the world was spinning too fast and his vision blurred rapidly into and out of focus as he fought to inhale deep breathes. His face was flushed and felt unnaturally cold. The blood in his body was pumping loud enough that he could hear it in his ears. "Why?" he whispered.

Hild exhaled sharply, whirled to face towards the home, and then held up both hands. A colossal burst of golden light filled the sky and arced downwards towards them. She braced her body with a firm bend at the knees as she launched her energy skywards. A purple bubble formed around the group and the sky lit up with another massive explosion.

"They lured us here," Sousuke cried out as he fell to one knee. He felt fear in his chest as the world around him faded to darkness. He rapidly realized that Husna had placed a massive leathery wing out and over him in an attempt to shield him from the energy above when he looked to his right and saw her gritting her teeth painfully as she too knelt under the blast.

Hild waved her left hand out and then down with a slicing motion and the gold light faded away. A whistling sound split the sky and three winged figures rapidly fell towards them. She felt her lips curl into an involuntary sneer as she watched their attackers plummet from the sky.

"Icarus," Husna breathed angrily. She shook with barely suppressed rage and her now clawed hands flexed rapidly. Husna stood, retracted her wings to rest against her back, and then pointed towards the falling figures. "She awakens!" she cried out to Hild.

Hild and numerous demons launched an array of energy towards the three Angels rapidly making their way to the Earth. She scowled fiercely as one of them recovered, flipped backwards several times, and then extended her wings and arms. The Angel slowed rapidly and then vanished.

"Don't let them escape!" Hild yelled as she extended her left hand and began to rapidly fire small bolts of energy that exploded around and near the remaining two figures.

Sousuke continued to hold a kneeling position as he watched the sky light up in a magnificent display of colors and hues. It reminded him of flak. He could see one of the bodies jerking and swerving under the barrage of exploding energy in the sky. The third figure attempted to recover her partner, was rebuked by the explosions, and then vanished.

"We have one," Husna spoke with a devilish tone as she took two steps and then soared into the sky. Her wings pumped furiously as she launched herself towards the rapidly descending form of the plummeting Goddess.

Hild raised her right hand and the energy blasts halted immediately.

Sousuke felt awestruck as he broke his eyes away from Husna and scanned the faces of the warriors around him who had displayed such inspiring prowess. He felt a vengeful excitement welling in his gut as he watched Husna slam her body into the Angel, grapple her roughly, and then propel herself and the limp form with a ground shaking thud into the Earth several yards from where he stood. He scowled as he was peppered with the ejected dirt from the crater they made.

Husna erupted from the crater clutching the limp body in her right hand. She hovered approximately fifteen feet over the ground, raised her hand, and then threw the body roughly at the feet of Hild. She angled her self downwards and then surged forward to land with her knee on the back of the Angels hip. Husna reached down, grabbed the woman by the arms, and then pinned her with her wrists over the middle of her back.

"Extend your wings and you will cut off your own arms," Husna growled at the body.

Sousuke approached the charred and filthy body as he hurried past Hild. He knelt near the Angelic beings head, reached down to grab a tuft of her hair, and yanked her head up and back in order to get a better look at her face. Sousuke couldn't help but sneer as he gazed down at her. "Where is Urd?" he shouted at her.

Hild remained passive as she crossed her arms and watched the pair. She waited patiently for Sousuke to satisfy himself before she would enter the Goddesses mind.

The injured Goddess peered up at Sousuke with a vacant look on her face. She attempted to wiggle her arms, struggled against both Husna as well as his hold, and then looked down with her eyes at the ground. Her disorientation was compounded by her inability to see from the wounded eye closest to the floor.

"Talk!" Sousuke shouted as he jerked her by the hair roughly. "Wake up!" he demanded. The soldier paused and waited.

The Goddess struggled with her mouth, chewed several times, and then spit a thick clod of dirt, blood, and a tooth from between her lips. She grinned up at Sousuke and revealed her imperfect row of teeth and the streaks of filth and blood across them. "You don't scare me," she laughed.

Sousuke cocked his fist back and then lashed out to strike her with a rolling motion to his punch. He had learned his lesson about landing solid blows against the super natural entities he had struck before. He allowed his fist to slide down the curve of her cheek as he held her by the hair. "Talk!" he screamed. He landed another blow with a dull thud.

"I have something to say," the Goddess spoke quickly. She closed her good eye, opened it and winked it several times, and then looked up to stare at Sousuke.

Sousuke stared down at her and waited for her to speak as his impatience festered. "Speak," he commanded with a low growl.

"We are going to make you, your whore, and your filthy abomination suffer. You will beg for death and it will not come," the Goddess replied through muffled breath. She spat at Sousuke and then smiled to reveal her blood soaked teeth.

Sousuke blinked several times and then looked up at Husna. He could feel the misting of fluids on his face and he reached up with his free hand to wipe at the mixture of mucous, blood, and dirt on his face. He took several breaths as he listened to the Goddess choke out an amused chuckle.

Sousuke slammed her face into the dirt and twisted his wrist forcefully in order to dig her marred lips into the ground. He released her, stood, and then turned to Hild. "Can you force her to talk?" he questioned as he wiped his hands on his pants legs.

The Goddess raised her filthy head up and grinned until her eyes fell on Hild. She looked to the massive red star on the middle of her forehead and any mirth in her eyes rapidly faded as she became contemplative. "I'm worth more to you alive," the Goddess spoke before laying her head down and closing her eyes.

"Are you?" Hild wondered aloud. She smiled gently at Sousuke and gestured for him to approach her side. "We will find out how true that is," she continued to speak as she knelt beside the Goddess. "Why would Icarus be on Earth?" she asked.

The Goddess remained silent.

"Where is Urd?" Hild asked softly. "You aren't showing me you are worth much use to me," she chastised. "Let's try something easier, Shall we? What is your name," Hild offered with an even but sharp tone.

"Ma'am, I must urge you. We must leave this area," one of the black clad demon women spoke quickly. She continued to gaze at the sky before whirling around and dropping to a single knee. She raised her rifle and pointed it towards an empty spot near by. "They are here," she spoke as a burst of light filled the surrounding area and numerous Goddesses began to enter the area.

"Welcome!" Hild exclaimed as she smiled wide and gestured towards the massive turnout. "I have so many questions for you all," she spoke cheerily as she raised her hands and they ignited into a blaze of undulating purple fire.


	18. Ah! A Goddess Makes Important Friends!

Sousuke watched in fascination as the multitude of demons around him began to take up combat positions. He felt particularly vulnerable as he watched several of them move to provide him with a modicum of protection that he was distinctly resentful of. He didn't speak as one of the women offered him a bladed weapon cautiously. He reached up into the small of his back, unlatched his bayonet, and withdrew the weapon. The demon placed the knife she had offered back on her belt and smiled encouragingly at Sousuke. He nodded at her in reply.

"Husna," Hild spoke cheerfully as she held out her hand. She had removed her bracelets, ear rings, and a number of items from her hair. She proffered them towards the dark skinned succubus with a smile. "Would you mind holding onto these for me? Thank you love!"

Husna stepped forward and extended her two hands in a cupping motion. She took the wards and limiters with a graceful bow and then took a step back. "What shall I do with Sousuke?" she inquired as she averted her gaze to the floor for a moment and then looked back up at her. "What you desire will be done," she spoke firmly.

"He would never forgive me if I removed him from the battle field. Isn't that right Sousuke?" Hild inquired with a cheeky smile as she reignited the purple flames that danced on her hands. "Do your best to protect him for me," she urged before lifting a single flaming hand towards the sky. A massive black shimmering field of energy surrounded the group and a phalanx of hovering Valkyries twinkled into existence around them.

"Belldandy, sweet heart, can we talk before I kill your friends?" Hild called out as her shoulders tensed and a massive thunder storm materialized over head. The droplets of water began to fall with a crescendo pace that dotted the sky with bolts of purple lightning.

"Hild," Belldandy spoke quietly. She appeared directly behind Sousuke, placed a hand on his shoulder, and then gently pressed in order to push him from her way.

Sousuke felt the finger tips on his shoulder and for a brief moment he wondered if he was already dead. He knew the message that Belldandy had sent. She could have killed him if she had desired to do so in that moment, and now she stood among the rabble in resplendent armor with no fear. Ice pumped in his veins as he watched her gracefully approach the Queen of Hell.

Hild hid her surprise. "Were you here all along or did you phase through my shield?" Hild inquired flippantly as she pressed an errant string of hair from her forehead.

"I came at the Queens call," Belldandy replied with an easy smugness that grated on the nerves of those who listened to her voice.

"Where is Urd? Did you take her?" Hild ignored the attempts by Belldandy to gather a rise from her. She could see the same face of the child who took custody of her daughter so many years ago and it filled her with rage. She flexed her burning fingers slowly.

"Did you take her?" Belldandy replied accusingly. "Is this not some ruse?" Belldandy hissed in reply.

"You sent an Icarus squad to eliminate our Princess!" Husna shouted but fell silent as Hild rose her index finger upwards gently.

"We would do nothing of the sort," Belldandy began to speak but fell silent as her eyes fell to the Goddess laying at the feet of Hild. She shifted uncomfortably and then inquired aloud. "Are you a member of Icarus?" she asked unsteadily.

"Your job is to recover me," the woman replied as her face lay in the quickly softening mud. She didn't open her eyes or look up as she waited patiently for Belldandy to liberate her. "Your job isn't to ask questions," she finalized harshly.

Belldandy scowled, looked to Hild, and then pointed downwards. "I do not have Urd. I was asked to assist in the recovery of a missing Goddess," she replied before forcing her pole arm to vanish into the abyss of energy. "I am not here to fight you," she finalized.

Hild sniffed the air, lifted her left heel, and then pressed the stiletto tip into the middle of the Goddesses back. She pressed down until the Goddess began to writhe and her facial features contorted in pain. Then she relented and stepped away from the woman as her hands extinguished. "Take the Goddess," she spoke.

An air of disappointment and numerous sighs filled the air as the demons watched in uncertainty at the decisions being made. "Go on," Hild impressed on her as she pointed down at the woman.

"Belldandy," Sousuke spoke her name softly. He waited until she turned to look at him and then he continued. "I want Urd back. You can't keep her," he felt his jaw ache as he stared at her with barely suppressed rage.

"I swear to you and on the rites of my order. I do not have her and neither does my order. I am a real Goddess. I cannot lie," she finalized with a solemn swear that left no room for interpretation.

"If we don't find her, I will come looking for you upstairs," Sousuke spoke softly. "I know I can't beat you. I can find a way to hurt you though," he finished.

"Sousuke," Belldandy spoke his name like a curse as she pointed at him. "You have taken my sisters, broken my family, and now I hear rumors that Skuld has fallen to the lowest point a Goddess can fall. You have hurt me more than you can imagine," she fought to keep her tone even as she turned to face Hild.

"There will be retaliation," Hild spoke softly as she flicked her finger tip towards the Goddess on the floor. Her left hand blackened and shriveled and her eyes flashed open. She turned to look down at her maimed appendage, began to scream, and fell silent as the skin on her lips melted and fused.

Belldandy tensed.

"Take her," Hild spoke as she pointed at the squirming mass on the floor. "Her scent makes me sick," she spat.

"There will be retaliation," Belldandy confirmed as she knelt, placed a hand on the woman, and the pair vanished without a trace. The mass of Valkyries twinkled out of existence as the rain abated swiftly.

Sousuke turned his attention from the spot the pair previously existed to Hild. He pursed his lips, hesitated, and then spoke. "What can I do?" he asked her as he gestured towards the now destroyed home.

"Could you please speak to the humans?" Hild asked him.

Sousuke felt a look of confusion pass over his features. He was unsure of what to say but he followed Hild's eyes upwards and watched as a fleeting black dot in the sky streaked past at high speed. "Mithril," Sousuke sighed and nodded as he watched numerous figures plummeting towards Earth at high speed.

"Ladies. Hide your wings please," Hild spoke with an even tone. The armed guard of demons looked as normal as they could as parachute canopies began to dot the sky over head.

Sousuke walked towards the center of the street, raised his hands, and then dropped them out perpendicular. He then ran across the street in the opposite direction and waited as the sound of wind buffeting the chutes filled the air. He watched as a squad of the finest war fighters in Mithril landed rapidly in the street before him.

Sousuke watched patiently as the men and women fanned out with their weapons up. He held his hands up and kept them visible as they rapidly assessed the situation and the one he assumed was in charge rushed towards him. "Thank you for coming so quickly," Sousuke spoke as he nodded his head at the masked figure.

"Sir! Are you Sousuke Sagara?" the man questioned as he lowered his weapon and leaned in close to Sousuke. "Are you injured?" he continued.

"We have a missing woman. I am not injured," Sousuke replied. "They are part of Advanced Dynamic and they are here to help," he continued as he gestured at the Demons picking through the rubble and standing guard.

"They are fast! We were in the air when we got the call that one of our safe houses had suddenly vanished. How did they get here so quick?" the man asked suspiciously.

"Classified technology Sir," Sousuke replied calmly. He pointed towards Hild who stood flanked by Husna and two well armed demons. "You never saw her," he commanded.

"Whispered," the man spoke with a slow tenor and deep awe.

"I didn't say that Sir," Sousuke admonished him.

"Right!" the man replied with a curt snap. "One missing. Provide full assistance," the man spoke as he reached up to his shoulder and keyed his microphone. The Mithril soldiers moved towards the home and began picking through the rubble in teams. "I am going to get a dog on site to help search," he spoke to Sousuke before lifting a tablet from his pocket, pressing several buttons, and then returning the device to his hip.

"Such a small search area. Do you need one?" Sousuke inquired.

"Hell, a blast like that? She is probably scattered in pieces across the back yards out here. Roofers and maintenance men will be finding chunks of her for the next year," the man spoke as he shook his head. "Who was she anyways?"

"My future wife," Sousuke spoke with an acidic tone.

"Sorry," the man replied. He didn't sound abashed.

"Let me know what you find," Sousuke replied evenly. He side stepped and walked past the man quickly to approach Hild. "They will assist in the search of the local area," he spoke quickly.

\scenebreak

"Sousuke?" Urd spoke aloud. Her eyes hurt and she squinted. She was surrounded by an endless sea of bright blue flames. It didn't hurt. "Ele?" she tried again as she fought to find something to focus on in the mass of energy that lay in every direction.

A deep fear churned in her chest and she reached up slowly. Her fingertips withdrew the egg she kept clutched to her body, and she held it up to inspect it. It was purple with massive blue tendrils that snaked from the surrounding area towards the egg. It was feeding.

"Where am I? Was I obliterated?"

"Welcome back," a voice boomed. It sounded as though it came from every direction and Urd jerked as she clutched the egg close to her body in terror.

"Who is there?" Urd shouted.

"I am hurt that the Princess does not remember me. It was my mate she loved. Was it not?" the voice sounded entertained as a massive wall of energy coalesced before Urd. "What has led the Princess of Hell back to the realm of the dragons?" the voice queried.

"Realm of dragons?" Urd questioned nervously. She felt her eyes adjusting and she could now see the forms and figures of endless numbers of dragons swimming in the blue energy. They would wane and coalesce at a random pace as they surrounded her in every direction she looked. "I don't mean to intrude," she spoke through a whimper.

The voice boomed in laughter and Urd tensed as the boisterous sound shook her to her core. She couldn't fathom how she now stood in the shared dream of the dragons and it struck fear in her like she had never known. "I don't remember any thing. I was making tea," she spoke softly. "Then I was here," she sighed.

"This may benefit us both," the voice spoke in a more proportional tone. "I will help you return home if you will return the soul of my mate to me," the dragon offered to her. "I have met your mate. I know you have this power," he continued. "You keep the breath of life in his veins even as you know he should not have it," the dragon intoned.

Urd felt her blood fill with ice as she involuntarily looked away from the dragon. "How do you know?" Urd asked with an accusatory tone. "No one can prove that."

A vibrant chuckle filled the surrounding air. "I do not judge," the dragon spoke softly. "Will you help me?"

"Of course," Urd replied.

"Where we will go, it is no place for a child," the dragon spoke softly. "Allow my family to protect your family," he stated firmly.

Urd hesitated. She felt no malice or threat from the dragon. Her eyes roamed the sea of energy that span for eternity in every direction. She reached to her chest, withdrew the egg, and then extended her hand before releasing the grip her fingers held while pressing the object up into the energy stream.

A multitude of shapes poured forth to surround, caress, and glide beneath, around, and over the egg. The energy danced and sheltered the egg in a torrent of blue vigor. "They will await our return," the dragon spoke.

Urd watched the slowly gliding egg with trepidation. She took several deep breaths, choked back her fear, and then spoke out in the direction of her slowly retreating child. "Mommy will be back," her voice quivered as she extended her lithe fingertips out in an attempt to project her love.

Urd gasped as her vision faded to darkness. She felt as though she had been flushed through a pipe or the floor had been pulled out from beneath her. She was plummeting downwards at a pace she could barely withstand. She tried to look about in any direction and only saw darkness for as far as the eye could see. Then her feet touched down on ground. A gray and lifeless spread of mire reached out to the horizon in every direction.

"I cannot exist within this realm without you," the voice of the dragon spoke in her mind. Urd could feel the spirit like a splinter in her psyche. She found it unpleasant and maddening. "I stand in stead of your Angel," he spoke to her. "Use me," he demanded.

Urd could see the flash of eyes and the wriggle of strange things in the distance. They knew she was there. She was the splinter in their psyche. The circle of psychosis stood complete.

The creatures began to surge towards her. She could see the half true beings of madness that reside in the spaces between realty and imagination. The old ones. They who occupied the myopic fulcrum that exists between the physical and spiritual. The emptiness waiting its turn to return.

Urd flexed her fingers as a deep rage filled her spirit. She breathed deeply as she concentrated on her reason to live. She held the image of Sousuke and their child in her minds eye and she only felt her conviction growing.

A golden halo flickered from shoulder to shoulder. It grew in intensity as Urd continued to stare at the approaching wall of beasts in the darkness. She could sense their presence like a blockade in every direction. It was unending. She smiled softly as the halo converted from gold to purple. Slowly the halo grew in size until it churned like a coat of fire that licked in every direction from her skin.

"You command," the dragon spoke. His voice contained unmasked awe in her mind.

"I command," Urd spoke aloud. Her voice was tender and even. A flash of blue light spread upwards and a massive blue dragon towered overhead. She fed the image of the dragon like a gas lamp. His gigantic frame leaned backwards before spewing a monstrous gout of blue flame skyward. "Teach them fear," she demanded.

Urd spread her fingertips wide, extended her will, and purple blasts of lightning began to surge outwards from her body in every direction. Her body appeared like a Tesla coil, exuding her will uncontrollably. The creatures fell upon her and exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors as streak after streak of power connected with their forms. "Forward," Urd spoke to herself.

She walked slowly. Every step met by an unending torrent of old ones. The flames of the dragon and her lightning filled the air with a deluge of sparkling corpses. The slowly fading fire and the twinkling light the only reminder that the creatures ever even existed.

"So many," the dragon spoke in her mind. His voice sounded withered and faint in the echo of Urd's mind.

"Not enough," Urd laughed aloud as she unleashed a glob of pure aether that spawned numerous lightning bolts. She laughed maniacally as it ripped a gash into the mass of creatures, swelled, and then exploded before releasing a stream of bolts that arced in every direction.

"Not them. There," the dragon whispered. He pressed gently in her mind and guided her sight towards a scintillating mound of red ruby like gemstones that were stacked many feet deep. "Those are the undigested souls of my people."

"Where is she?" Urd asked aloud as she flung her arm towards a crowd of creatures and leveled them with a frightful blast of raw power. "Which one?"

"I do not know. There are so many," the dragon gasped. A feeling of despair began to leak from his psyche into Urd's and she was repulsed by his defeatist attitude.

"Then we take all of them," she grumbled.

"There is no way. No Goddess could withstand so many souls attached to her being. You propose your own destruction," he warned her unhesitatingly.

"Lucky thing. I'm no Goddess. I'm the daughter of the devil," Urd replied through grit teeth.

Urd felt as though the entire universe was warning her and she turned to face a massive form towering high overhead. A blob of tentacles, fur, and the faces of the dead writhed and flashed as the beast lashed out at her with a whip crack of its body. She braced herself, lifted both hands, and deflected the blow.

The creature released a deafening roar that even repulsed the smaller beasts who faded back as the monster bloated to a size even larger than before. It lurched forward and enveloped Urd in a single fell swoop.

The universe fell silent. Nothing stirred and not a single sound escaped as the massive creature wiggled and shook. Then a single golden streak of light escaped through the creature. The pulpy flesh became transparent as a massive bolt of energy erupted skyward, lit the sky for as far as the eye could see, and then incinerated the hungering incarnation of doom.

"All of them," Urd demanded. She no longer struggled against the horde. They shrunk back in terror into the darkness and she was left to toil alone in a sea of tiny gem stones under feet. "Do not miss a single one," she commanded the dragon as he snaked forward and began to gather the stones into his massive gaping blue maw.

Urd stood stark still until she was satisfied that they had gathered the souls. "We must leave," she wheezed as her eyes drooped and her hands shook violently. She sucked in several gasping attempts at breathe as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed. She vanished before she struck the floor.

"We succeed," the dragon whispered.

\scenebreak

Sousuke sat at the nondescript and standard issue table. He held his head in both hands and supported himself by his elbows. He could hear the scrape of stone on steel as Major Cummins pushed a steaming cup of coffee towards him.

"Drink it. You need it. Comes straight from the oil pan, just like I like it," he spoke gruffly. The man had sat with Sousuke through the night as every available unit was called to duty. Some searched for Urd while others stood guard over their cities, their families, and their way of life.

"I'm useless," Sousuke spoke softly.

"Like tits on a boar hog," the Major confirmed for him. "Drink the god damn coffee."

Sousuke reached out for the cup, lifted it to his lips, and took a sip. "I can't stop making mistakes. Why did I leave her alone?" he asked the Major.

"We have been fussing for nearly two thousand years. You got started recently. You think you can just walk into a dick waving contest and win the grand prize?" the Major questioned him. Major Cummins pulled a chair up, sat, and lifted a mug to his lips.

"Sousuke?" a voice, low and soft, came from the doorway. Skuld stood in front of Marller blocking the entrance. She held confused features in her face and kept her hands up near the center of her chest as though she were praying. "What happened?" she asked as she pushed through the doorway towards him.

"Sit down darling," the Major spoke up as he stood, offered her the chair, and moved to sit on a nearby table. He pointed at the chair as Skuld turned her attention on him.

"Sousuke, where is Urd?" she asked again as she sat in the chair and placed her full attention on him. Her eyes sparkled under a thick watery haze and she bit her lip nervously.

"We don't know yet," he replied as he forced himself to remain passive. He was terrified that he would only contribute to her fear if he revealed how scared he was.

"If I had been home," Skuld began to speak but faltered as the Major interrupted her.

"You would be getting shoveled into a sack right now as we try to clean up what is left of you," his gruff tone ripped through the air. "Icarus ain't no chump," he growled before lifting the cup to his lips. "Thirsty darling?"

"No sir," Skuld whispered as she shook her head. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold the cup in her trembling fingers.

"Too bad," Major Cummins spoke. He stood, approached the coffee pot, and filled a cup before returning to Skuld and placing it on the table. "The Princess is a tough girl and if Hild is sure she ain't in Heaven right now, then all we need to do is wait till she comes back."

"I wish I had your confidence," Marller sighed. She extended her hand and a freshly poured cup of the dark liquid appeared in her digits. She too took a sip.

"Don't be witchin in my office," the Major chastised her. "If you want a cup, you come pour it. You know I don't like that shit."

"Kiss it Cummins," Marller replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Any time sweet heart," Major Cummins replied with a wink.

Sousuke, Cummins, and Marller began to laugh.

Skuld, still silent, reached out to the cup, lifted it to her lips, and took a small sip. She smiled at the trio and settled into the chair. "Urd, I love you," she mouthed as she stared into the liquid in the cup.

\scenebreak

"Go," the dragon commanded. He didn't look up from the clutch of eggs that he surrounded with his body. His round black eyes darted from egg to egg and his ears twitched. The dragon wore a face as close to jubilant as a dragon could muster.

A smaller and younger dragon stood and made his way towards the entrance to their den. He walked out into the courtyard of the base, gazed about at the staring demons who all stood watching and then extended his wings, gave them a mighty pump, and launched himself into the sky. The moment that the dragon vanished past the swirling storm, the base erupted into action.

The small dragon poured on the speed and streaked through the sky like a rocket. He drew in his legs, craned his neck, and exerted his energy to propel himself forward. He rapidly approached super sonic speeds, spotted his destination, and then extended his body to catch the wind and rapidly decelerate. A crack like a gunshot ripped through the air and the dragon aimed himself at the base, descended, and slammed into the ground with a thud.

"The mate of Urd," the dragon bellowed. He roared with tremendous volume and then bellowed again. "Mate of Urd!"

A door opened and many individuals poured forward. The dragon inhaled deeply, approached them, and looked down at Sousuke. "You are missing your mate," he spoke.

"I am," Sousuke replied. "Do you know where she is?" he pressed urgently. He gazed up at the towering figure of the dragon in awe. Even the children were impressive specimens of unbelievable power.

"You cannot fly," the dragon stated flatly.

"I cannot," Sousuke replied.

The surrounding figures shared a collective gasp as the dragon knelt and extended a wing. "I can fly," the dragon stated. "You have my permission," he urged as he closed his eyes.

Sousuke looked back and frowned. The sound of his friends gasping gave him pause and he was further shocked as he immediately noticed Marller holding up her flip phone and snapping photos. He shook his head, extended a hand to grip part of the wing, and pulled himself up to sit on the back of the dragon.

The powerful creature surged upwards, flapped his wings, and began the journey back towards his nest. The human weighed nothing and he was forced to control his speed to a much more manageable tenor. He would disappoint his people if he snuffed out the life of their saviors mate.

Sousuke gripped his fingers around a protrusion of flesh near one of the dragons shoulder joints. He tucked down against the creature and steadied himself by pushing with his boots against the sides of the scales near his feet. He stared directly downwards into the red shimmer of scale and waited patiently for the ride to end.

The pair touched down in front of the barn like structure Sousuke was previously acquainted with. He leaned, knelt, and then slid down the side of the dragon with his hip until his feet struck firm ground. He breathed a sigh of relief as he looked up at the staring demons. "Inside?" he asked.

"Of course," the dragon scoffed with a smug and superior tone.

Sousuke nodded and took off running down into the pit. He reached the bottom of the ramp and the first thing he noticed was the activity. Not a single dragon in the pit slept. "Urd!" Sousuke cried out in desperation as his eyes scanned the dank warren.

Every head turned to face him. He fell silent and waited as the rest of the denizens began to shuffle and displace with the intention of opening a path for him. "She waits with our children," the collective of dragons spoke in a single voice.

"Thank you," Sousuke spoke hurriedly as he entered a full run. He raced among the dragons toward the center of the room. He eventually reached the clutch and was in awe of the number of eggs dotting the area. Then he noticed a stream of white hair. He moved at a more cautious pace past the eggs until he reached Urd.

"Urd honey," Sousuke gasped as he fell to one knee and gazed down at her nude form. She lay on her side clutching their egg with her arms. "Urd! Are you all right?" his voice escaped his lips in ragged puffs.

"She sleeps. She lives," the dragon Sousuke met before spoke as he approached and then lay on his stomach. "She needs to sleep," he stated calmly. "Even in sleep, we watch over her as she rests in our realm."

Sousuke grunted as World Of Elegance tackled him from behind. The limber Angel wrapped herself around him and pulled firmly until she had him pinned. He squirmed under her smiling form as she straddled him. Her hair draped down her shoulders and tickled his face. She gripped his forearms in her hands. "Hello 'Ele," Sousuke spoke to her as he felt a raw relief surge through him.

World of Elegance leaned down, captured his mouth with hers, and then sat back up straight. She finally released him as she surged backwards through the air, draped herself across Urd, and beckoned him over. She reached out with her hand and patted the ground gently in an attempt to encourage him to take his place beside her and sleep.

"Let's go home first," Sousuke replied. He paused, looked down at the ground, and then trailed his eyes back up to Urd. "I guess we need a home," he sighed. The idea of where he would stay had not dawned on him. "We are homeless again," he whispered.

"The Princess will never be without supporters," the dragon spoke as he leaned his head downwards and peered at Sousuke. "She has rescued my people," he intoned solemnly. "What does she require?"

Sousuke knelt, removed his top, and then draped it over her body. He then scooped her into his arms and stood. "No matter what she needs, I will find a way to give it to her," Sousuke spoke. His pride ached in his chest.

"Her mate is noble. We respect this," the dragon replied casually. "We are allies," he continued to speak calmly.

"Thank you," Sousuke replied. He turned, adjusted Urd in his arms, and then chuckled as 'Ele wrapped her arms and legs around him from behind and nuzzled her face into his neck. "I can't thank you enough."

"Neither can we," the Dragon replied.

\scenebreak

"Without supporters?" Major Cummins inquired aloud before lifting his cup to his lips. "Is that exactly the words?"

"The Princess will never be without supporters," Sousuke confirmed with a nod. He stood outside the door to Urd's room at a medical wing on Fort Laish. He looked through the window to the room and smiled. Skuld had climbed onto the bed with Urd and was sleeping beside her as 'Ele kept watch. His eyes snapped to the guards in the hallway with him and he felt his shoulders relax.

"They said she helped them?" The Major asked. He shook his head and then gestured towards the door with his left hand. "Was it something she planned? What could have happened?"

"I know as much as you do," Sousuke breathed a hefty sigh out through his teeth and gestured towards the two women guarding the door. "Ladies, may I get you anything to drink?"

The two demons turned their attention on Sousuke and they shared a look of surprise. "Sir?" one of the women questioned him. "We couldn't possibly bother you with such trifles."

"Nonsense," Sousuke waved off her concerns with his hand and pointed down the hallway with a gesture of his left hand. "I need a minute to walk and clear my mind. I will get you both something from the cafeteria on my way back. Any requests?"

"I will take a hot chocolate!" the second guard smiled wide at him as she leaned forward and made her request. She pointedly ignored the incredulous stare of her fellow guard.

"Same?" Sousuke asked the other woman.

"Thank you," she replied and nodded. The woman fidgeted and then busied herself looking down the hall.

Sousuke gestured with his chin in the direction of the cafeteria and Major Cummins nodded. The pair walked in tandem as Sousuke laced his fingers together and placed his hands on his head. He took several long and deliberate breathes as he walked.

"You all right?" The Major asked.

"Do you think Belldandy knew?" Sousuke asked.

Major Cummins lifted his cup to his lips, drank, and then swirled the liquid with a flick of his wrist. "Dunno," he replied. The man took another long quaff and then crushed the cup between his fingers.

"They tried to kill her. They could have destroyed our child," Sousuke hissed. He brought his hands back down to his side, extended his right hand, and mimed firing a pistol before lifting his left hand and driving his fist into it. "She is going to regret what she did."

"What are you thinking?" Major Cummins asked Sousuke.

"I would call in an air strike on the temple but they wouldn't have a chance against her. She would know it is coming," Sousuke shrugged. "Any ideas?"

"A few," Major Cummins confirmed as he pushed the door to the cafeteria open and motioned for Sousuke to enter before following him in. He inhaled hard and smiled. "I hate the hospital but god damn I love me some cheese cake," he spoke as he gazed towards a glass canopied display of sliced desserts.

Sousuke nodded as he approached a woman in a white uniform. She sniffed, gave him a confused look, and waited patiently for him to initiate conversation.

"I require two hot chocolates," Sousuke spoke to her. He paused, looked towards a row of individually wrapped sandwiches, and acquired three that he placed on the counter before the woman. "You want anything Major?"

"A great big ol' glass of jack," the Major replied as he gathered up two slices of cheese cake and a bottle of root beer.

"Put his on my bill," Sousuke spoke to the woman as she smirked at the Major.

"Don't you dare," Major Cummins spoke up as he approached the counter. "We will have to take it to the parking lot if you wanna pull that on me."

"Ma'am, charge it to me," Sousuke stated softly as he extended a small payment scrip towards the woman. He proffered the scroll and she removed it from his hand.

"Oh hell," the Major grumbled as he placed the bottle in his pocket and held a plate with a slice in each hand. "Well, one of these is for Skuld any ways," he huffed.

Sousuke picked up his two cups and the pair made their way back towards the room. Their footsteps echoed in the hallway of the nearly deserted hospital. "Not many people here?" Sousuke asked.

"Not at all. They can usually help themselves but you should have seen this place after the big fight. Standing room only as we were all trying to recover," he shook his head.

Sousuke grunted in reply and picked up the pace as he spotted the two women protecting Urd. He approached them, handed them each a cup, and then stepped back. "Thank you for what you are doing," he spoke.

"It is an honor to serve the Princess," the women spoke in unison. They began to drink from their cups slowly and Sousuke moved to the door, opened it, and then ushered the Major through.

"Hey little darling," the Major spoke softly as he spied Skuld staring at him through one opened eye. "You hungry?" he asked as he gently shook a plate towards her.

Skuld grunted a soft affirmative, rolled off the bed, and approached him to take the plate. She devoured the piece in three quick bites using her fingers to lift the slice whole to her lips. The little Goddess licked her fingers.

"Guess you don't need this," the Major chuckled as he offered her a fork. He looked down at his slice, hesitated, and then offered it to Skuld.

Skuld paused, looked embarrassed, and then removed the plate from his hand and scarfed down the second slice hurriedly. "I'm starving," she whispered.

Sousuke, the Major, and Skuld turned their attention on the door to the room as it opened. Hild entered the room trailed by Husna and Marller. The three women appeared exhausted.

"Has she woke?" Hild asked as she approached the bed side and looked down at Urd with a worried gaze.

"Not yet," Sousuke replied. He looked towards World Of Elegance and smiled at her encouragingly. She wore a confused and distrustful expression as she stared at Hild.

Hild shook her head and huffed. "Marller, the wards please," her voice barely exceeded a whisper as she flippantly gestured towards the door.

"Ma'am," Marller spoke. She swished her arm in an arc and the room detached from reality. The walls glowed green and the window that once displayed the two women guarding the door now only showed a black reflection. "We are alone."

"Major, I am going to authorize a retaliatory strike. I just finished speaking to the war council and we feel it is best to demonstrate that their course of action is unwise," Hild spoke.

"I have been thinking about that. I was going to recommend that we use a goblin unit to dump a thump on one of their Earth dwellers," Major Cummins nodded as he scratched at his chin.

Skuld crossed her arms and shifted uncomfortably but didn't speak.

"Send a message?" Sousuke inquired.

"Yup," Major Cummins confirmed with a nod.

"I hate to sound self centered, but Urd, Skuld, and I are going to need a place to stay after she wakes up," Sousuke interjected. "If we are going to initiate action on Earth, perhaps we should stay here in Hell for a period of time."

Urd released a gentle groan, stirred, and reached out with her hand. "Sousuke?" her voice escaped her lips in a raspy and weak tone.

Sousuke moved swiftly to her side as every person in the room rushed to stand around the bed. The soldier reached out, grabbed Urd by the hand, and then leaned down over the bed to gaze upon her face. "I'm here," he spoke.

"What happened?" Urd asked him. She looked from face to face and then cocked her head with a confused bent. "Why am I here? Why is every one here?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Sousuke replied gently. He squeezed her hand and blinked several times before wiping at his eyes with the back of his other arm. "I'm so glad you are safe," he wheezed.

"I'm fine," Urd gasped as she reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. She smiled and tugged on him gently until he leaned down and she could plant a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Sousuke whispered. He leaned back, turned to Hild, and began to speak. "I don't mean for us to be a burden but would you know of a place we could stay while I work to find us a place to live?" The soldier fought down a grimace as a deep embarrassment washed over and through him.

Hild struggled to mask her excitement and she mentally counted to three before replying. "You are welcome to stay in my home as long as you need," she spoke as calmly as she could.

"I am appreciative of your kindness," Sousuke spoke to her. He then turned his attention back to Urd. "We are going to stay with your mother for a little while. All right?"

Urd frowned but nodded as her eyes darted from face to face. "I am pretty tough," she spoke.

"You are," Sousuke confirmed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for being understanding. I am going to let you sleep. All right?"

Urd nodded and then closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and she fell into a deep slumber almost immediately. Her grip on his hand loosened and Sousuke turned to return to his conversation.

"Any thoughts?" Marller inquired as she steered the conversation back to their previous topic.

"I hope they can read smoke signals," Sousuke replied.

Major Cummins snorted and grinned.


	19. Ah! A Goddess Finds Hope For A Home!

"There," Sousuke stated firmly. He pressed his finger tip down on a section of the map laid out on the table between himself and a diminutive green goblin. Major Cummins, Husna, and Marller surrounded the metal table with him.

The goblin eye balled the topographical map and counted the rings of the contour lines quickly. "Where is this valley in relation to the settlements?"

"This is a cluster of homes. They are situated beneath the hill and you should have a good chance of lobbing a few rounds up to the temple from here. I think it will prevent her from retaliating long enough for you to escape. Then again, if she is willing to kill her sister. Who knows?" Sousuke replied as he drew circle with a dry erase marker on the map.

"Here?" The goblin inquired. He pressed his bony and sharp finger on a mountain over looking the temple.

"Nothing but vegetation. If it was me, the minute a round landed, I would clear cut this area," Sousuke replied. "The visibility is better, but I doubt you would come home."

"I would trust Sousuke on this one. You should be able to walk the shells right up the cliff," Major Cummins confirmed. "We aren't looking to take her out. We need to send a message and exit."

The goblin nodded. "We can do it. Harassment fire shouldn't be an issue." He turned to face Major Cummins fully. "When do you want it done?"

"No time like the present," Major Cummins chuckled.

\scenebreak

"Do you miss them?" Keiichi asked quietly as he stood at the sink. He peered through the window out into the backyard of the home as he scrubbed at a glass with a sponge.

Belldandy sighed. She sat at the kitchen table with a stack of papers to her left and a slowly growing stack to the right. She was reading through reports in an attempt to ascertain what exactly was happening to her family. "I believe that Urd and Skuld have made their choice but it isn't too late to fix this."

Keiichi nodded, placed the glass down, and then hefted a pan up. He began to scrub at the pan as he continued to think. A motion outside the window caught his attention and he paused as a cloud of yellow smoke began to rise in thick hazy wisps. "Weird," Keiichi spoke.

"What is weird Mr. Keiichi?" Belldandy asked him. She placed the paper in her hand down and looked up towards him.

"Yellow smoke," Keiichi replied. He leaned forward and craned his neck to get a better look.

Belldandy placed her left hand under the lip of the table, curled her bicep, and chucked the table up and into the wall. She felt the world around her slow as she erupted forward with enough force that it dented the floor beneath her feet. She wrapped her arms around Keiichi and twisted him away from the window as a wall of debris peppered her back. The sound of an explosion filled her ears and she extended her wings outwards to wrap herself and Keiichi.

"Bell!" Keiichi cried out as he tried to process what was happening around him.

Another explosion, much closer to the wall launched a shower of dirt upwards. Finally a single round penetrated through the roof and landed in the middle of the kitchen. Belldandy felt her head jerk back as a slab of wood crashed into her forehead. She scowled as she kept Keiichi pinned to the floor.

"Bell!" Keiichi continued to scream and struggle as he wiggled his arms against her body. He was trying to kick his legs out ineffectually as she remained firm above him.

Belldandy counted aloud under her breath. She waited until she reached the number forty five and then stood slowly. She turned and listened in an attempt to sense who ever had launched an attack on her home, felt no one, and resigned herself to hunting them another day. "Mr. Keiichi, are you hurt?" she asked him.

"Bell! I can't hear you!" Keiichi cried out as he wiggled and tugged on his ears. He was opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

Belldandy reached down, placed her palm on his head, and then asked again. "Are you all right?" she spoke as she knelt and peered into his eyes.

"I'm fine. What happened? A gas leak?" he asked as he looked about at the shattered and pock marked interior of the kitchen.

"No Mr. Keiichi, there was no gas leak," Belldandy replied. She visibly inspected him again before helping him to his feet. "Are you dizzy?" she asked.

"A little shocked I think," Keiichi replied as he looked about the room. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Belldandy as he pulled her into a hug. "You saved my life," he breathed.

"Sousuke is going to regret this," Belldandy replied calmly. She drew Keiichi into a tight hug and closed her eyes. She imagined the devastated room returning to normal in her minds eye and called for Holy Bell in her spirit.

\scenebreak

"I'm feeling like a big fat steak," Major Cummins spoke aloud. He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his belly. "Something still bleeding," he continued.

"We could go into the city. I am craving seafood," Husna replied.

"When the goblins report I am going to take a half-day," Sousuke spoke up. "Urd and I need to look for a place to stay. She is unhappy with our current arrangement." The soldier ran his fingers through his hair as a look of consternation passed over his features.

"There is space near the lake of fire. You could move there!" Husna spoke excitedly.

"Princess Urd. Not succubus Urd," The Major spoke aloud as he stared at Husna incredulously. He then turned his attention on Sousuke. "Hire a damn geomancer and have them make you a spot. You just describe what you want and one of them will whip it right up for ya."

Sousuke nodded. "I think I am going to leave it up to Urd to make the decision on this one," he spoke as a tired look crossed his features.

"Like you should," The Major nodded sagely.

\scenebreak

"Urd, my room," Skuld spoke breathlessly as she stood in the doorway to the bedroom that Urd and Sousuke shared. She held her head in her hands and stared at her sister with saucer wide eyes.

"Something is wrong with it?" Urd asked as she looked up from the apothecary storage she was fussing with.

"I have ice cream on tap. I yank a handle and it just streams out," Skuld replied before pointing down the hall. "You have to see this!"

Urd sighed as she picked up a tiny mortar and pestle. The name "Urd" was written in pink letters on the small implement and she exhaled hard. "Sorry, it's hard to be back here."

"Was this your room when you were a kid?" Skuld asked her as she stepped past the precipice and began to look at the room proper. She approached the desk that Urd stood near and began to snoop through her old things. "Were you always a potion nerd?"

"Yes," Urd chuckled as she pushed Skuld away with her hip. "Don't you need to get ready for your first day at your new job or something?"

"I'm ready. I don't start until after the weekend anyways," Skuld replied with a palpable excitement. "I'm glad that I don't have to go away for training," the little Goddess grinned as she hefted a stack of books and began to pour over the covers. "Romance novels?" she asked.

"Shut up," Urd growled. She reached out and plucked the books away from Skuld before opening the drawer closest to her leg and stuffing the books into the cavernous hole.

"Are you going to join the Legion too?" Skuld asked her.

"Not a chance in Hell," Urd laughed as she reached out and snatched up a ribbon from under a corked vial. She lifted her hair and tied it up with the purple ribbon. "I thought this thing was gone forever!" she laughed.

Skuld grinned at her. "You seem to be in a better mood," she motioned with her hands at Urd as she spoke. "This place is awesome. How could you hate it here?"

Urd moved to her bed and sat. "I was alone all the time. Hild was constantly gone and I felt that I wasn't wanted. Then I was told I would be moving in with my half-sister and next thing I know, I was tossed out."

"May I interject?" the voice of Hild floated through the door. She stood in the archway with a despondent look to her eyes.

Urd remained silent.

"I spent day and night traveling between here and Heaven in an attempt to negotiate the rights to continue to see you. Even the chance to just look at you. I let them manipulate me because I thought I would have a chance to see you if I played their game. Instead, all I did was alienate you and I still had to give you up," her voice was ragged and bitter.

"Why was every one an ass hole to you?" Skuld asked with an incredulous look. She turned, looked at Urd, and spoke. "I feel like I have been living in a completely different world for so long I don't even know which was is up any more."

Urd stood and faced Hild defiantly. Her facial features hardened and she averted her eyes to the side. Her lip began to quiver and tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry I was a constant pain in the ass and I never understood or appreciated what you tried to do for me," she breathed with a dramatic hiss from between her teeth. She shook. "Thank you for saving Skuld."

Hild burst into tears. She took several steps forward and pulled Urd into a bone crushing hug as she pressed her face into her hair. "There is nothing to forgive." she spoke as she gripped her tightly.

Skuld sniffled and rubbed at her eyes as she watched them.

"Come here sweet heart," Hild spoke as she gestured for Skuld to approach. "I'm not a good mom, but if you need anything, you are just as much my family as Urd is."

Skuld rushed forward and placed her arms around Urd and Hild. She began to cry. "I'm so glad you two are friends again," she huffed.

Urd squeezed Hild one more time before stepping back and wiping at her eyes. She looked towards the doorway and spoke. "Sousuke? Why are you home?"

"I took a half day," Sousuke replied softly. He looked embarrassed to be interrupting.

"How was your day?" Urd questioned him as she motioned for him to enter the room. "Every thing all right? Did you do anything today?"

"Not a thing. I just had to go in to supervise an operation and then I left once we completed our debriefing. A very boring day," Sousuke spoke to her. His eyes flashed to Hild and she smiled at him.

"Every thing go all right?" Hild asked aloud.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. She didn't press for more information and he assumed she didn't need to. "I was thinking we could go look at homes in the area," he spoke as he reached into his pocket and withdrew several cards.

"Geomancers?" Skuld asked as she pointed at the cards in his hand.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied with a nod.

"Can I come?" Skuld asked excitedly.

"I was hoping you would. Better to have both of your opinions. Would you like to come Hild?" he asked.

Hild lit up as she turned to stare wide eyed with hope at Urd.

"Would you like to come?" Urd asked nervously.

"I would LOVE to come!" Hild gushed as she waved her hand and changed her clothing from her traditional split front demon dress to a pair of slacks and a button up blouse.

Sousuke smiled before gesturing to the door of the closet. "I am going to change," he spoke softly.

Urd nodded and ushered Hild and Skuld from the room. "Let's give him some normalcy for a minute."

It wasn't long before Urd, Sousuke, Hild, and Skuld were piling into the Charger. Sousuke had opened the passenger doors, front and rear, for Urd and Hild. He smiled as he watched Skuld wait patiently by her door behind the driver. It wasn't long before he had gotten the card loaded and they were motoring down the desolate highway between the city and the castle Hild lived in.

"Do you want to look at homes in the city proper?" Sousuke asked Urd as he reached out and placed his hand on her leg.

"If I was sixty years younger, I would say yes, but I don't know if that is a good place to raise a child," Urd replied softly. She wrinkled her nose and reached into the center console to lift up the small stack of cards Sousuke had brought home with him. "Do you know who we should contact?" Urd asked as she extended her hand up and over her shoulder to offer the cards to Hild.

"No for these two," Hild spoke as she immediately handed two cards back to Urd.

Urd didn't even inspect the cards as she tore them in half and discarded the pieces in a cup holder.

"Her, her, and him are all trustworthy," Hild spoke as she handed three cards back up. "You could always hire me or Marller as well," she offered.

"You are a geomancer?" Skuld asked her with a look of awe.

"Skuld. I am the original geomancer of Hell," Hild laughed.

"Oh yea!" Skuld crossed her eyes and made a silly face before returning to stare out the window with a pink tinge to her cheeks.

Sousuke looked down quickly, spotted one of the cards, and pointed with his finger. "The one with the demon lady with only one horn. We should call her," he voiced.

"Why her?" Urd asked suspiciously as she eyed the card with the beautiful woman on it. She had close cropped blue hair and reminded her slightly of Kaname.

"She was the one who handed me all of the cards and told me to do my research before I call any one. She was at the Fort helping new recruits with getting settled into Hell," he explained.

"Not because she is pretty?" Urd asked.

"Well obviously because she is pretty," Sousuke teased as he held up his hand and pretended to be flabbergasted by her.

"I'll kick your ass," Urd threatened as she reached into the glove compartment, got the cell phone Sousuke carried, and began to dial the woman. The device echoed out with a ringing noise for several seconds before a soft voice answered.

"Geomancy by Lady Seeue," the voice spoke.

"Good afternoon. My name is Urd and you spoke to my boyfriend Sousuke," she began to explain.

"Yes! Yes!" The woman cheerfully exclaimed. She sounded much more agitated and nervous after Urd introduced herself.

"Do you have time for us to come by and see about acquiring a place?" Urd asked her.

"Any time! My office is here at the Fort but we can meet somewhere if you would like!" she exclaimed.

"Tell her to meet us at the coffee shop near the Fort," Sousuke spoke. "It's the little blue hut on the side of the road. It's the only thing out there when I drive in, I doubt she can miss it," he finished.

"I'll be there!" Lady Seeue stated quickly.

"See you there. Thank you," Urd replied and disconnected the call.

"Smart," Hild nodded as she leaned back in her seat.

"What is?" Skuld asked.

"Better to not show up in the middle of the Fort with a car full of celebrities," Hild stated.

Sousuke smirked.

The drive to the coffee shop was short and the group arrived quickly. Sousuke prepared to open the doors for the ladies in the car but was unable to do so as the trio spilled from the car without prompt.

"Hi!" Skuld cried out as she waved her left hand while shutting the door to the car with her right.

The Lady Seeue choked on her drink as she stared at Hild. Her eyes darted from Hild to Skuld to Urd and back again before she placed her trembling cup down on the table beside her. "My Queen!" Lady Seeue spoke as she curtsied.

Hild gestured to Urd and spoke. "My daughter is in need of a geomancer. Just pretend like I am not here," she smiled wide as she meandered towards a small window near the hut. She busied herself ordering.

"Is the Queen not a geomancer?" Lady Seeue asked Urd quietly as she gave a bow towards Urd.

"She is," Urd confirmed with a nod. "I would rather not bother her with this," She explained evasively.

"I will need your help the most. I hope you will be patient with me as I try to learn about the area and what is available to us," Sousuke spoke up as he approached the ladies.

"Anything for our Princess, but I must tell you, I generally work with fort housing. I could recommend you someone who is more in-tune with luxury," the woman began to speak as she reached into her purse and began to gather a handful of cards.

"My intention was to take advantage of my housing allowance. I am entitled to a home on the fort if I have a family," Sousuke spoke with a tinge of doubt in his voice.

"But you must be married," Lady Seeue replied nervously. She looked fearful and hesitated as she delivered the bad news.

"Make it happen! Time to put a ring on it!" Skuld exclaimed excitedly. She grinned at Urd.

"Quiet," Urd snapped at Skuld and frowned. "We will get married when we are ready," she stated firmly.

Skuld frowned and squinted at her but didn't reply.

Sousuke took a step closer to Urd, placed his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her in close to himself. "I don't mean to inconvenience you, but if you would humor me, it would mean a lot to me if you provided us with a tour of what I could expect if we were to be married," he spoke casually.

Urd looked towards Sousuke and her lip curled into a smirk as she stared at him. She placed her arm around his waist and squeezed.

"Of course," Lady Seeue replied quickly. She grinned nervously and gestured towards the direction of the Fort. "I am not used to working with individuals who are unable to practice our ways," she spoke carefully as she clasped her hands together.

"My need to drive," Sousuke chuckled as he looked back at the Charger.

"Drinks!" Hild spoke excitedly as she approached trailing several floating cups. "Skuld has a green tea latte with lemon. Urd has a chocolate chip cookie swirl. Sousuke, you have a plain cup of coffee with milk."

The three reached out and plucked the floating drinks from the air.

"I can get Sousuke anywhere he needs to go without issue," Hild gave a flippant reply towards Lady Seeue as she reached out for her cup and brought it to her lips. She sighed contently and then released her grip on the cup. It floated to hover behind her and she spoke once more. "Did you need anything to drink?"

"No thank you," the woman replied quickly. She turned on her heels and gestured towards the Fort. "Would you follow me Ma'am?"

"Please," Hild urged her as Skuld and Urd moved to stand directly next to Sousuke.

Sousuke felt a flutter in his chest as he looked about at the rows of homes that materialized around him. He was standing among rows of well manicured lawns and similar faced houses.

"This is a lovely three bedroom right now but I can easily upgrade it if necessary to fit any size of family," the blue haired woman spoke as she gestured towards a house in front of her. "Do you think you are going to need it to be larger?"

Urd looked towards Skuld who shrugged.

"Could you conjure the four bedroom and two and a half bath for them to peruse?" Hild asked. She smiled encouragingly at Urd.

"Certainly," Lady Seeue confirmed as she waved her hand once and then presented a key. "Let's go check it out," she smiled as she motioned towards the home and walked. "Great neighborhood. All Officers of course. A wonderful place for a family," her voice traveled down the street easily as she followed her normal discussion points.

Sousuke looked to his right and noticed a woman standing in a window. She was staring slack jawed at the group. He waved at her. She slowly raised her hand and flashed her palm. She remained at the window until they had passed too far onto the porch for him to be able to see her any more.

"Here we go," Lady Seeue spoke as she turned the key in the door and opened it. The interior was well furnished and decorated with traditional Americana decorations. "The interior can be matched to any style of home you like of course," she spoke as she waved her hand. The inside flashed from ancient Japanese to rustic Germanic, and back to the original configuration.

"May I ask you something Sousuke?" Hild wondered aloud as she approached a closet near the entrance, opened the door, and peered inside.

"Affirmative," Sousuke spoke as he walked deeper into the home to peer at the kitchen.

"What is your thinking on living at the Fort?" she asked calmly.

"Safety. Security. Close to work. Defensible," the soldier replied without hesitation.

"No interest in staying in the castle?" she continued as she closed the door and moved to stand next to Skuld who was peering up into a fireplace.

Urd frowned but didn't speak.

Sousuke looked to Urd and they made eye contact. He moved into the dining room and his voice carried. "I think it is best for all of us if we have a level of independence. You provide a very kind offer, but I just feel more comfortable on the Fort. I hope you understand and don't find me ungrateful."

Hild nodded. "I understand," she spoke. She seemed to be thinking with great intensity before she turned on Urd. "Are you all right with this?"

"Could I see the Japanese styling again?" Urd replied.

A moment later the home was changed and decorated in a spacious and flat Japanese style.

"I would be happy," Urd spoke softly. She watched as Sousuke reentered the room and her mouth pulled into a large smile as he held eye contact with her. "I can't think of a better way to live."

"I like it," Sousuke spoke aloud as he looked about the home. "I believe that Urd and I have things to discuss however," he continued to speak as he approached her, leaned forward, and placed a kiss on her lips.

"Are you sure you want to live on the Fort?" Lady Seeue spoke as she approached Sousuke. She fiddled with her ear ring that hung from her left ear before pointing to the door. "You are going to be living with our warriors," she spoke softly.

"I am one of those warriors," Sousuke stated calmly.

"Is there a particular objection you have to the presence of Urd in this home?" Hild asked casually as she watched Skuld intently inspecting an energy piping system built into the wall of the home.

The woman was hesitant, grimaced, and then spoke. "Is it not inappropriate for our Princess to live among our common men and women?" She stared nervously at Hild.

"Many little girls grow up wishing to be a Princess. I grew up wishing to be a master of alchemy. Today, being a Princess has been thrust on me and I have resented it for many years. I have a right to live where my future husband is happiest," Urd spoke calmly. She radiated command and left no room for argument.

"Of course," The woman curtsied as she averted her eyes.

"For someone who cannot appear where he wishes by force of will alone, how will this area work for me?" Sousuke asked.

"Probably like it is right now. You cast a little spell and you will zip around. Easy," Skuld piped up as she turned her attention on him.

"That is correct," Hild confirmed.

Skuld beamed.

"I didn't see a garage outside," Sousuke began to speak but he stopped mid sentence as the Lady Seeue snapped her fingers once.

"I have rectified that issue for you," she stated.

"Thank you," Sousuke replied as he turned to face Hild. "Are you going to be busy tonight?" he inquired.

"I have plans with Rocky," Hild replied.

"Rocky?" Skuld mouthed the word at Urd with a questioning look.

"Captain Rockwell," Hild clarified.

"When you have time, I would like to speak to you in private," Sousuke finalized.

"Tomorrow," Hild confirmed with a nod. She smiled at him with a look of excitement in her eyes.

Urd frowned and she appeared curious of their actions. She said nothing.

"I will be in touch with you I think," Sousuke spoke to the Lady Seeue as he extended his hand for a shake. She took it and nervously allowed him to shake her hand softly.

"I look forward to it," the woman nodded.

\scenebreak

"Lester! What the Hell is wrong with you?" Nancy shouted as she rapidly stirred the contents of her pan over the stove. She was shaking the pan as she scraped and pushed the ground meat around with the flat end of a spatula.

"What do you mean?" Captain Rockwell barked back as he leaned back at the kitchen table.

"I don't think she likes your little oriental," Rick spoke as he raised a long neck bottle to his lips.

"Why in the Hell would a beautiful little girl like that be interested in you?" Nancy continued as she began to open a cardboard box full of rice and spices. "You don't think she just wants you to marry her so she can get citizenship?"

"Nancy! That's ignorant," Lester rolled his eyes and laughed as he shook his head. "She can't like me for me?"

Nancy turned her head and stared at him with a look of disappointment. "No one likes you for you. This ain't no movie," she spat coldly.

"She does," Lester replied haughtily.

"She ain't been asking you questions about your work? Asking how you feel about marriage? Talking about how much your land is worth?" Nancy rapid fired questions at the man as she finished stirring up their lunch and placed a lid over the pan so it could simmer.

"That little lady has her documents in order, a grown daughter, and her own job," Lester replied evasively. "She ain't looking to pluck at my things," he spoke quickly.

"A grown daughter," Nancy huffed.

"I've met her!" Lester exclaimed.

"Probably some actress. Them ladies are tricky. They get that citizenship and their hooks in your wallet and it's all over. You will be caring for her till you die!" Nancy barked back.

"Not like Nancy wouldn't get all my things if we got divorced or nothing," Rick offered as he winked at Lester.

"Do you want to fight?" Nancy growled as she pointed at Rick with the spatula.

The man held up both hands and shrank in his seat visibly.

Lester laughed. "What got into you? I thought you liked her," he questioned.

"I prayed last night and I had a dream that an Angel told me to tell you to stay away from that girl. Honest to God!" Nancy spoke quickly as a look of embarrassment flashed over her features. "This beautiful woman stood in front of me and said 'Warn Lester to stay far from her.' and it was so real I just can't stand it," Nancy gushed.

"Did you happen to get her name?" Lester asked calmly.

"Who?" Nancy snapped back.

"The Angel!" Lester spoke as he frowned.

"God Almighty Lester! God is trying to talk to you and you want to turn it into a joke?" Nancy growled.

Lester scowled but didn't reply. He stood and pointed at the fridge. "Can I have a beer?"

"Help yourself. God knows I couldn't make it without a fridge full of them," Rick spoke as he laughed.

"I'm trying to help! Kiss my ass Rick!" Nancy yelped as she tossed her spatula into the sink with a clatter. "Ya'll should make your own damn lunch!"

"Love bug, you know we are just teasing. Right Lester?" Rick asked as he motioned with his bottle towards Lester.

"Hild is a nice woman," Lester spoke as he approached the fridge, opened the door, and retrieved a bottle. He used his shirt to twist the cap off and disposed of the small pointy object in the trash.

"She is too pretty for you," Nancy scowled as she watched him with her hands on her hips.

"That's not very nice," Lester laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"How old did her daughter look?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know Nancy! Anywhere between twenty five and thirty five I would guess but you know how her mom looks. She could be any age for all I know I suppose," Lester sighed as he took a hefty swig from the long neck and approached the stove. He sniffed the air hungrily.

"Just watch yourself. I don't want you loosing your home or something over some woman," Nancy urged him as she sighed exasperatedly.

"I'm gonna tell you right now Nancy. Hild don't need any thing from me," Lester spoke as he tried to muster a friendly and encouraging smile in her direction.

"That's what scares me," Nancy grumbled.

"I don't see why," Lester replied as he opened a cabinet and began to set out bowls. He acquired spoons and placed them in the bowls in anticipation.

"Lester, I know it's been a long time since you dated. It can be tough with the divorce and the kids. You might be jumping into this thing without looking at the big picture," Nancy explained as she grabbed a glass and filled it with tea from the fridge. She replaced the tea in the fridge and sighed.

"The kids are practically grown and I don't think I am doing anything that is going to affect them. They have college funds and who said Hild and I are getting serious any ways. Right?" Lester replied. "I'm serious though. Describe this Angel to me please?"

Nancy frowned and rolled her eyes. "Hell, I don't know Lester. She was thin and beautiful. She had long brown hair and a great big blue diamond on her forehead. She was wearing this pretty blue and white dress," Nancy closed her eyes as she spoke in an attempt to help her visualize the woman. "She was obviously strong and she spoke like she commanded an army or something. She spoke so softly and with such conviction."

"She said I should stay away from Hild?" he asked for confirmation.

Nancy nodded.

Lester cracked a smile and raised his eye brows.

Nancy scowled in reply.

\scenebreak

"Come in!" Skuld spoke aloud as she sat hunched over a desk. She was surrounded by the humming bits of technology she was working on and held a soldering iron in her hand.

"How are you doing?" Sousuke asked as he opened the door slowly. He peered inside carefully and checked for any errant hanging wires. "You look like you have settled in very well," he continued as he stepped into the room.

"Hey!" Skuld spoke cheerfully as she turned in her swivel chair. She was wearing a monocle with a light attached to it. She quickly reached up and removed the headband before laying it down on the table next to the circuit board she was previously working on.

"Working on something?" Sousuke questioned her. He approached the table and gestured at the circuit board with his hand.

"Oh. This?" Skuld asked as she pointed at the board. "It's for Major Cummins," she stated.

"You haven't started your first day yet. They have you doing things for them already?" Sousuke asked.

"The Major said he liked television when he was alive so I am building him a television that plays all the shows from America that he liked when the year was 1960," Skuld explained quickly. Her voice quivered with excitement.

"That is very nice of you," Sousuke spoke as his features hardened. "Are you all right though?"

Skuld felt her eyes wander involuntarily and she sighed. "I guess things are different now. I am nervous about my first day. Do you think I can do this?" she wondered aloud.

"You know I do," Sousuke replied as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "If I didn't think you could do it, I wouldn't have ever offered the idea to you," he was firm with his reply.

"What is really wrong?" Skuld asked carefully.

"If you need anything from me, you tell me, understand?" Sousuke stated as he breathed deeply. He sighed and then pointed at the door. "When we are on duty, I am going to treat you like any other soldier, but out here you are family," he spoke with a fatherly conviction.

"Thanks Sousuke," Skuld nodded slowly. She could sense something in his voice and it worried her.

Sousuke nodded and turned to leave. He paused at the door, turned to face her one more time, and spoke. "If you ever need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. You aren't alone. Don't forget that," he spoke before crossing the threshold and closing the door.

Skuld frowned as she continued to stare at the door with a confused look on her face. She turned back to her work, lifted the headband to her brow, and returned to soldering on her board.

Sousuke leaned against the wall opposite the door. He stared at it for a long while as he wondered about the future. He allowed his mind to wander and he felt a deep fear welling inside himself. He remembered the steps he had walked from his earliest memories to now and he wondered if he could ask Skuld to do what he had done.

"Are you all right?" Urd asked as she approached from down the hall. She looked concerned as she reached out to pull Sousuke into her arms. "Is Skuld all right?" she asked.

"I'm the bad guy," Sousuke spoke softly as he hugged Urd. He breathed into her hair as he held her close.

Urd chuckled and spoke as she turned her head and placed her ear against his chest. "Who said? Skuld?"

"I do," Sousuke continued. "I am going to ask Skuld to do horrible things," he breathed.

Urd fell silent. She pulled her head back and looked up at Sousuke. "She is strong. Remember what she did to Kaname?" Urd asked him.

"To be honest, I can't believe she is gone," Sousuke replied. "I spent so many years of my life trying to protect her. Keep her safe. Then she attacks you and finds herself eliminated. I can't believe it," he replied as he shook his head.

"Miss her?" Urd asked with a cheeky smirk and a scowl in her brow.

"No," Sousuke replied firmly. "Not in the least. Just confused about why she would do something like what she did. It's why I feel so terrible about Skuld," he sighed.

"Why?" Urd asked.

"I owe her everything for saving you. I am going to turn her into something dangerous. We both know that there has to be a final battle. I've been reading," Sousuke sighed.

Urd nodded. "The apocalypse," she spoke calmly as she reached up and began to run her finger tips through the hair on the back of Sousuke's head.

"The last battle between Heaven and Hell," Sousuke breathed. "I'm trying to prepare for it. Skuld is going to fight in this war. You might have to fight. Every one is going to fight and not every one is going to survive," Sousuke spoke with a weary tiredness in his voice.

"Why are you thinking about this stuff?" Urd asked him with concern. She leaned forward, tipped up onto her tip toes, and bit him gently on the chin. Her wet teeth left a soft shine on his skin where her spit remained. She trailed her tongue down his jaw line and she began to nibble and kiss his neck in turn.

"It's my job to worry about this stuff," Sousuke sighed as he placed his hands on her lower back. He pulled her in close, gripped her split front dress, and extended his neck to her in submission. He could feel her sharp canines pinching the skin on his throat and he closed his eyes. "No mercy," Sousuke breathed.

Urd grinned and grabbed his face in both her hands before crushing her lips against his. She kissed him passionately as she pressed him against the wall and her wings extended fully. She thrust her massive wingspan against the wall and pinned him fully under a canopy of thin leathery flesh. She pulled back and her mouth quivered as her teeth began to grow and elongate.

Sousuke smiled devilishly and then kissed her on the tip of the nose. "You are so beautiful," he breathed as he inspected her face. He watched as a line of saliva dribbled down the corner of her mouth to her chin where it shimmered softly.

"You are insane to think my demon form is beautiful," Urd growled from between her thick row of sharp teeth. "No human could think this is pretty," she shook her head as she stared at him incredulously.

"Nothing could be farther from the truth. I see power, strength, and love when I look at you," Sousuke breathed softly. "You try to hide this form all the time, but nothing excites me more than to know you could destroy me utterly. I know I trust you implicitly and I couldn't think of a better way to go than to your hands," Sousuke spoke huskily as he reached down, grabbed her hands, and brought her claws to his lips. He stared into her eyes as he brought her two index fingers to his lips and gently kissed the edge of her claws.

"A complete psychopath," Urd chuckled. She relaxed her hold on her human form entirely and felt the last vestiges of humanity slip away. She couldn't see Sousuke any more. She stared at a wall of energy, but even in the slowly ebbing aura that her demon form could see, she knew his face. She could see the energy fill her vision completely as Sousuke leaned in to dart his tongue into her mouth and she reciprocated. She could taste blood as he cut his tongue on her teeth but he didn't flinch or withdraw.

"Let's go," Sousuke spoke. He gestured with his head towards their room down the hall. His lips curled into a dangerous snarl as Urd took a step back and reached down with her clawed hand to clasp his. The pair walked hand in hand to their bedroom.

"The egg?" Sousuke asked as he closed the door.

"With Grandma," Urd grinned. Her lips peeled back to reveal her thick wall of teeth. She reached up to her shoulder with her long clawed hand, slipped her digits between the fabric and her flesh, and extended her arm to allow the dress to fall to the floor.

Sousuke grinned before reaching up to stretch his neck. He extended his left arm over his chest, cradled it with his right, and pulled until he felt sufficiently limber before repeating the action with the other arm.

"Stretching?" Urd laughed.

"It's going to be bad," Sousuke laughed as he removed his shirt. He tossed the offending garment to the ground.

"Is it?" Urd pouted her thinned lips before reaching up to wipe away a thick stream of drool from her mouth.

Sousuke grinned evilly as he reached out and pressed his thumb against the corner of her mouth. He wiped upwards and pulled the now wet digit to his lips before licking it.

Urd felt herself loosing control and she howled. Her head arched back and her shoulders dropped as she screeched as the top of her lungs. The sound filled the air and she lunged at him.

\scenebreak

Skuld felt her hand jerk involuntarily as a violent shriek filled the air throughout the castle. She scowled angrily as she looked down at the now ruined circuit board. She shook her head, tossed the piece over her shoulder, and requisitioned another board from a drawer in her table. She cast a simple silencing charm before speaking aloud to herself. "Ew. Nasty," she breathed.


	20. Ah! A Goddess Has Free Will!

"How many do I have to fight?" Kaname asked from the side of her mouth as she stood beside Lind. She reached up, rubbed the space between her breast plate and shoulder, and then straightened.

Lind hushed Kaname softly. She stood at attention beside the woman and surveyed the similarly stoic Goddesses who stood opposite them.

"Kaname Chidori," a strong feminine voice spoke from above. The sound was melodic and filled the room.

"Here!" Kaname cried out as she raised her hand.

Lind involuntarily cringed as she struggled to keep a straight face.

"Lind, do you believe your charge is ready to fight in the crucible?" the voice asked.

"Goddess Lind is confident in her charges combat capabilities!" Lind pulled herself to attention, saluted, and bellowed firmly. Her eyes drew to slits as she surveyed the faces of the Goddesses who expressed their disdain for the pair with their expressions.

"Kaname, please move to the red line in the center of the circle," the voice urged her.

Kaname looked down at the edge of the gold circle whose precipice she stood on. She spotted the red line and moved to stand behind it before looking back to cast a final glance at Lind. She then looked forward towards the numerous Goddesses staring at her.

"First," the voice spoke.

Kaname spotted movement and watched patiently as a woman approached the circle, saluted with a prayer movement, and then entered the circle. She wore a full body cat suit and held no weapon. She approached the blue line across from Kaname and took a fighting stance.

A feeling of disorientation passed through Kaname as the ground beneath her feet seemed to surge in every direction. The surrounding circle swelled outwards and space seemed to spring forth from no where as she watched the people who had stood so close previously fade into the distance. The room had grown to accommodate the battle.

"Engage," the voice spoke.

Kaname stepped backwards once, ducked low, and then threw her shoulder forward into the shin of the Goddess as she lunged forward and tried to kick her. Kaname had baited her, caught the blow, and then wrapped her arms around her leg and rushed forward flipping the woman onto her back.

The Goddess released the breath in her lungs as she landed on her back on the floor. She was shocked by the speed that Kaname had demonstrated and she felt shame well in her chest as she kicked out with her other leg towards Kaname's face.

Kaname expected the blow to come and kept the leg tucked beneath her arm pit as she released her right hand and raised it to block the incoming blow. She wrapped her arm around the other leg, gripped, and dug her heels into the floor as she pulled her body into a squat and rolled backwards. The Goddess surged off the floor, up into the air, and over onto her face with a thud as Kaname violently slammed her with the acrobatic maneuver.

The Goddess fell limp.

"Second!" the voice above spoke.

An Asian featured woman erupted towards Kaname from the edge of the circle. Her wings pumped powerfully as she surged inches off the ground towards her with her arms extended in preparation for grabbing Kaname.

Kaname side stepped, reached outwards, and grunted as she wrapped her fingers roughly around a grip of wing. She yanked with all of her might snapping the woman's head forward as she was stopped nearly instantly. Kaname stepped, gathered her momentum, and walked it into a spin before slamming the woman into the floor with a violent thrust that cratered the floor. She stepped forward once, raised her leg, and stomped with finality near the woman's head. The ground collapsed beneath the blow and the woman looked away in defeat.

"Third and fourth," the voice spoke.

Kaname spotted a figure rushing towards her from her right, moved to engage, and was launched forward into a roll as a blow collided with her back. She grit her teeth and pushed outwards with her hands in order to launch herself into a front handspring. She dipped down, twisted, and raised both hands as she moved into circular side stepping that forced her opponents to attack from the same direction.

One of the Goddesses lunged forward with a flying side kick, sailed past Kaname, and immediately reentered the fray as the other Goddess chose to use multiple and fast low kicks towards her shins. Kaname danced her legs up and back in order to avoid each blow before stepping back twice, building momentum, and launching a mule kick towards the woman behind her. She felt her foot strike the woman in the chest and she felled her violently before fluttering forwards and feigning a kick.

The Goddess raised her arms to protect her chest and face but realized her mistake as she watched Kaname bum rush her. She lifted her hands to strike downwards but Kaname had raised her left hand and shoved the woman's appendages up and away.

Kaname wrapped her right arm around her waist, lifted, and brought her to the floor. The pair smashed into the ground with a thud and Kaname shimmied up her body and began to rain punches down on her face until she fell limp. She immediately rolled off of her and began to pace in a circle as she fought to pull in gasps of breath.

"Fifth," the voice spoke.

Kaname jerked her head back and forth as she looked in each direction. She spotted no one. A moment later she felt her breath hitch in her throat as an invisible hand laid a powerful blow to her sternum. She coughed and spluttered as she fell backwards.

The sound of a giggle echoed around Kaname. A moment later the sound of rushing foot steps filled her ears and she lurched backwards as blow after blow landed on her face, chest, and shoulders. She pulled her arms up and close as she hunkered down and tried to remember what Lind had told her.

"When you fight someone who is invisible, don't rely on your senses. They will always betray you. You have to rely on the energy that surrounds all of us. Look for the break in the stream and attack there," Kaname could hear the voice of Lind in her head as she winced as another painful strike landed on her arm.

"Stupid human," a soft voice spoke. "You will never complete the crucible," the voice continued to speak as blow after blow continued to land.

Kaname screamed with frustration, extended her will power, and a massive blast of energy exploded outwards in a complete sphere around her body. The invisible woman was highlighted by the light expelled by the blast and Kaname rushed forward to tackle her and batter her into submission. She continued to punch and punish her until Lind pulled her up and off of the woman.

"It's over," Lind spoke firmly as she gripped Kaname by the shoulder.

Kaname scowled, looked away, and pouted.

"Your charge has completed her test. She is found to be combat capable if not lacking in other ways," the voice spoke.

Kaname grumbled but fell silent as Lind shook her gruffly.

"I request that Kaname be placed in temporary command of a Valkyrie unit and provided an opportunity to complete a real world mission," Lind spoke aloud.

"Do you believe she is ready for the responsibility?" the voice questioned.

"I take responsibility. If she fails, I will take responsibility for it," Lind confirmed as she nodded her head forcefully.

Kaname whirled on Lind and stared at her incredulously. The pair made eye contact and Lind continued to speak.

"Give Kaname a Valkyrie group and allow her to strike at the Titans," Lind spoke calmly.

"We will speak alone," the voice spoke.

Kaname felt her body shake and she looked about slowly. She was in her room, banished from what ever conversation that Lind was having about her future. She reached up, unstrapped her armor, and allowed the heavy chest plate to fall onto her bed. She rubbed at her bruised face as she felt a sudden surge of pride. Lind had vouched for her.

\scenebreak

"What do you think about marriage?" Hild asked as she reached towards her glass. She gripped the martini glass daintily and lifted it to her lips before taking a soft sip.

Lester grunted uncomfortably, looked at Hild, and his eyes darted away before answering. "What brought that on?" he asked as he coughed and cleared his throat.

"My daughter is going to be wed soon. I am sure of it," Hild replied easily. She smirked at him and swished her drink softly as she placed an elbow on the table and stared at him. "This little oriental girl has no interest in being wed again," she spoke with a mischievous grin.

"You listened in on that?" Lester replied uncomfortably. He shifted in his seat as he picked up his knife and fork and began to cut into the steak on his plate. He allowed his eyes to dart back and forth as he felt heat in his cheeks. He could see the other patrons sitting about as they too ate and chatted.

"Oh darling," Hild laughed as she replaced the drink on the table. "She has valid concerns. Your friends love you and I wouldn't expect anything less," Hild waved her hand dismissively before reaching down and plucking a french fry off of her plate. She placed the salty piece of potato to her lip and smiled.

Lester laughed nervously. "The girl, Belldandy, she told Nancy to tell me to stay away from you," Lester spoke uneasily before dipping his steak in a puddle of horseradish sauce on his plate and taking a big bite. He grimaced as the spicy mixture burned his nostrils but he repeated the actions nearly immediately.

"I am sure it was her," Hild confirmed. She picked up her greasy burger piled high with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and dripping with mustard, took a bite, and then placed it back on her plate before reaching for her napkin. She closed her eyes and groaned as she chewed. "This is delicious," she nearly moaned the words out.

"I want what she is having," a woman seated near by laughed as she gestured towards Hild. She smiled wide.

"I can't recommend it enough," Hild spoke conspiratorially towards the woman as she leaned forward in her seat and pointed at the meal. "So delicious," she laughed before turning her attention back on Lester.

Lester couldn't help but laugh as well as he shook his head. "You really light up the room any where you go. You know that?" he asked her.

"That's why they call me the morning star," Hild whispered and winked.

Lester laughed and covered his mouth but didn't reply as he nodded.

"I'm a little embarrassed that Belldandy would take it upon herself to reach out to my boyfriend," Hild scowled as she picked up another fry and span it in a circle slowly before eating it.

"I take it she and her buddies are planning to send you a message through me?" Lester asked as he slathered another bite of steak in horseradish.

"We are having a small tiff," Hild confirmed.

"About?" Lester prodded.

"They tried to kill Urd with an air strike. We replied with a little shelling. Now she is so upset that I might be seeing a human. Just silliness," Hild replied as she rolled her eyes and slumped her shoulders.

Lester tried to keep a neutral expression as he nodded his head. "Any casualties so far?" he asked.

"My pride. I had to pay Mithril for a safe house," Hild grumbled. She took two large bites of her burger and covered her lips with her hand as she chewed angrily.

"Couple grand?" Lester inquired calmly.

"Three hundred thousand," Hild scowled. "The place was tiny!" she spat.

"Couldn't you just," Lester paused mid sentence and wiggled his fingers as though he were casting a spell.

"The rebuild is too public with too many witnesses. Better to rebuild the building the old fashioned way. That means workers, pay, and I am stuck holding the bag for those morons up stairs," she scowled as she shook her head. Hild smirked and wiggled her fingers back at Lester. "That's not how we cast spells," she laughed.

Lester grinned.

"How is the meal?" the waiter inquired as he approached. He smiled at the pair as he refilled Lester's glass with tea.

The pair confirmed their enjoyment and the waiter left quickly to return to working the room.

Hild sighed and pointed towards a table with a couple who was chatting happily. "Those two are spies," she grumbled.

Lester grunted and nodded. He pretended to be checking his pockets for his wallet before turning at the waist to quickly glance at the pair. He relaxed in his seat and withdrew his wallet before placing it on the table in front of him. He leaned forward and pretended to be pointing at his wallet as he spoke. "I have a 1911 and two spare magazines. What do you need me to do?" he asked her.

"Nothing. I will take care of them when I am done with this lovely burger," Hild waved him off.

Lester leaned back into his seat and nodded. "They look like a normal couple. Husband and wife," he stated.

"Both Goddesses. Absolute idiots. The one pretending to be a man is glowing bright with energy, I am guessing they want me to engage so they have a reason to fight me," she replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Here," Lester spoke as he shook his head. He waved over the waiter and waited patiently.

"What are you doing?" Hild asked him.

"Watch," Lester replied.

"Sir?" the waiter asked as he approached.

"Hey partner. See that couple over there?" Lester asked as he pointed at the pair that Hild had pointed out as Goddesses.

"Sir," the waiter confirmed with a nod.

"They are from our church. Could you send them over a bottle of Red Devil wine off the wine list here?" he asked as he pointed at a tall wine list in a leather booklet off to the side of the table. "A little joke for our buddies," Lester winked at the waiter as he smile encouragingly.

"Sure!" the waiter smiled and nodded before turning and making his way to the back of the restaurant.

"You are terrible," Hild laughed hard as she leaned forward and whispered at him.

Lester laughed and turned in his seat to watch as the waiter passed by with a towel and the wine. The waiter approached the table, leaned forward and spoke, and then pointed at Hild and Lester as he proffered the bottle at the pair.

The couple turned and smiled at Lester and Hild but their eyes burned murderously.

Lester waved at them and smiled. "Doing my part to keep the pearly gates out of reach. One bottle at a time," Lester laughed.

Hild shook her head as she waved as well. She couldn't help but laugh as the two Goddesses stared daggers at them.

"Enjoy the wine!" Lester spoke up before turning back to Hild. He winked at her and she leaned forward to place her hand on his.

"Thank you. I needed that laugh. Red Devil wine? Fantastic," Hild chuckled as she tilted her head and stared at the man affectionately.

Lester smiled back at her before retrieving his fork and knife. "I better finish eating before that pair comes and kicks my ass," he sighed as he began to eat quickly.

Hild rolled her eyes and laughed again. "This is fun," she spoke softly.

Lester winked at her in reply.

\scenebreak

"I apologize but could you explain the difference between the soul stone and the spirit stone one more time," Sousuke questioned the woman as he stood before row after row of rings.

The saleswoman grinned at him to hide her frustration before continuing her explanation. "You really wouldn't want to give your significant other a spirit stone. The soul stone uses a bit of your own soul during the crafting process. It's much more romantic," she explained as she reached down and picked up a setting without a gem.

Sousuke frowned. "I'm not sure she would find that romantic," he spoke softly as he eye balled the gold ring with the empty holes where his soul would reside.

"What do you think she would like?" the woman asked him in reply as she replaced the tiny trinket in it's holder under the glass.

"Perhaps a heavy knuckle duster," Sousuke replied contemplatively.

The woman's eye twitched involuntarily and she leaned on the glass with her elbows. "We don't sell brass knuckles here," she spoke as she pointed at the exit to the shop. "There is a woman named Ku who owns a shop nearby, try her," she spoke as she implied he should leave immediately.

Sousuke left the store wordlessly. He wandered slowly through the mall towards the God of War store. He approached the doors, entered, and began to peruse.

"The human," Ku spoke to him as she appeared from behind a shelf. She approached him, leaned on the side of the shelf, and watched him.

"Good afternoon Ku," Sousuke spoke.

"What is your need?" Ku asked him without fanfare. She stared at him with a neutral expression on her face.

"I'm looking for a ring in order to propose to Urd," Sousuke replied as he reached out and ran his finger tips down the handle of a naginata. He turned his chin and stared at Ku as he fell silent.

"No jewelry, only weapons," Ku replied as she gestured with her hand in order to bring attention to the rest of the store. "The jewelry store is back the way you came," she finished harshly.

Sousuke frowned but turned without a word. He walked away from Ku as he fought down the urge to reply to her with a harsh remark. He grit his teeth as he left the store.

"Human," Ku spoke as he neared the door.

Sousuke stopped and turned to scowl at her.

"A priest carries a book. A warrior carries a blade. A man carries his pride. You search for a weapon to help you find something beautiful for your woman. You are no romantic. Find the romantic and take what he carries by request or by force," Ku spoke before turning and walking away.

Sousuke squinted as he fought to release the tension in his jaw. He inhaled, turned back to the door, and left silently as he considered her words. He checked his watch and realized his lunch break was nearly over as he made his way back to his vehicle. He needed to return to the fort.

\scenebreak

Lind worked silently as she braided Kaname's hair. She slowly and methodically pulled the hair back into thin and tight bunched strands, weaved it carefully, and then tugged firmly. She repeated the actions over and over until she had created a tightly wound cascade of blue hair that she folded cleanly until it sat against the back of the woman's neck. She couldn't help but reach out and gently run her fingers across the mass of scarring that marred the side of her face.

Kaname sat patiently as she allowed Lind to work. She struggled to control the butterflies in her stomach and sought solace in her deep breathing exercises. She closed her eyes, inhaled, and exhaled as she focused entirely on the face of Athena.

"What is your primary mission?" Lind asked her as she turned to gather a curved piece of metal.

"Disrupt Titan operations," Kaname answered immediately.

"Secondary?" Lind continued as she draped the metal over Kaname's shoulders and cinched it beneath her hair. The armored piece was a shield between her throat and face and the outside world.

"Hostage rescue," she replied.

"Tertiary?" Lind asked.

"Kill Pallas," Kaname did not hesitate in her answer.

"The most important thing?" Lind asked softly.

Kaname froze. She turned slightly to gaze up at Lind with confusion in her eyes.

"Come back alive," Lind urged her.

Kaname smiled up at Lind before turning to face forward again.

"Ready?" Lind asked as she extended her right hand over the shoulder of Kaname. She held her arm firm as Kaname reached up, placed her hand on hers, and stood. "Arms up," Lind commanded.

Kaname stood and extended her arms up and perpendicular with the floor.

"Today we put on the whole armor of God. As your teacher, I dress you with my own hands for the last time," Lind spoke to her as she draped a heavy breast plate over her, fit her leggings, and helped her into her boots. "After today, you will be my equal. You will summon your armor as we do and it will answer your call," Lind continued as she checked every strap, every cinch, and inspected the armor fully.

Kaname remained silent.

"Face me," Lind spoke. She hefted a helmet in her hands, placed it on Kaname's head, and strapped it down.

Kaname stretched her neck back and forth and then tapped herself on the top of her head twice to verify the helmet fit snugly and with no play.

Lind held her arms up and a broad sword materialized in her hands. She cradled the heavy chunk of glimmering steel in her arms, knelt, and presented the weapon reverently.

Kaname reached down with her steel gloved hand, gripped the brown leather wrapped handle, and lifted firmly. She took a deep breath and felt her lip tremble as the excitement and pride nearly overwhelmed her. "Lind," Kaname spoke.

Lind stood and beamed with pride at Kaname. "Yes?" she asked.

"I'm ready," Kaname spoke firmly.

"You are," Lind confirmed.

Lind watched as Kaname faded from view. "Good luck," Lind spoke aloud in the now empty room.

Kaname appeared silently in the atrium of the building she had hoped to never see again. She could sense the Valkyries who flanked her. They had followed her spirit to Othrys. Three stood to her left and three to her right. She grit her teeth as she looked towards a single towering male figure who was staring at her in shock. "Kill him," Kaname spoke.

A single figure rushed past on her right, extended her sword, and impaled the imposing man through the chest. He grunted, grabbed the blade in his finger tips, and a look of slow shock passed over his features before the Valkyrie yanked the sword back and out to leave him to collapse.

Kaname walked quickly past the body as the Valkyries followed closely. She pressed a button on the wall and the elevator doors opened with a ring. "Three with me. Three take the stairs," she commanded quickly.

The team broke without hesitation and Kaname turned to face the door as she pressed the button combination she had never forgotten. The doors slid closed quietly. Kaname held the broadsword with the tip downwards in the cramped room. Her spiritually attuned senses felt the elevator passing through dimensions and she scowled as she watched the light above the door highlight numbers. A single ding rang out and the door opened to reveal the glass catwalk that stood above the less civilized giants.

"Prepare the device," one of the women spoke quickly. Two of the Valkyries began to assemble a device inside the elevator while the third who had spoken moved to stand beside Kaname.

"They sense us," Kaname spoke as she watched the ebbing tide of giants through the glass below her.

"We need three minutes," the woman replied.

"Easily," Kaname chuckled as she snapped her wrist with a jerk. The blade of the sword ignited in a bright blue flame in rhythm with the motion.

The woman beside Kaname held out her hands and began to conjure meteors that slammed downwards with biblical lethality. The giants below leaped upwards and scrambled onto the catwalk threateningly as many of them were slain in the blasts below.

"Hold the line!" Kaname shouted over the din. She rushed forward, snapped the blade outwards, and cleanly cut through one of the giants legs. The monstrous humanoid fell backwards as his severed limb tumbled onto the catwalk.

Kaname dodged a grasping hand, ducked, and sliced upwards. She ignored the numerous fingers that rained down as she continued to weave through the flailing brier of opponents. She danced around her partner gracefully, ensuring her safety as she continued to rain deadly blasts of arcane energy down on the gathering crowd below.

"Thirty seconds!" came a voice that echoed over the screams and explosions. Kaname spotted an opportunity as she deftly removed another appendage at the knee. Three of the giants had landed on the catwalk in a line and she grinned beneath her helmet. A surge of heat built in her stomach as she called on her new powers, she felt the power slide through her veins towards her hand and she span once before throwing her flaming sword.

The giants failed to react as the blade arced towards them, sliced each of them cleanly through the throat, and then zoomed back to Kaname who caught it before spinning backwards until she stood side by side with the Valkyrie casting spells.

Kaname couldn't help but flourish her victory with a gentle waggle of her left hand as the bodies of the giants tumbled back over the railing as their heads fell and rolled on the catwalk.

"Fall back!" the voice finally came.

Kaname and her partner both conjured a thick wall of fire that they propelled through the roiling mass of giants on the catwalk. Many fell away or were burned beyond recognition as the pair retreated to the door again.

"Lights out!" the Valkyrie who had worked on the bomb shouted as she hefted the device, tossed it with all her might, and began to rapidly press the door close button. The group watched as the doors slid shut and the elevator began to pass through to the next dimension. A gentle shake echoed out the results of their labor as the giants were incinerated by Holy light.

"They have found the hostage," the Valkyrie beside Kaname spoke as she held her fingertips to her temple. She immediately reached out and pressed a combination of buttons on the pad. "They need assistance," she emphasized.

A moment later the doors opened and the group poured out of the elevator into a hallway piled high with bodies. Many of the giants had been felled before they had the opportunity to take their full form and some were slain in mid transformation. The mishmash of human sized bodies with giant appendages was grotesque and Kaname felt the urge to empty the contents of her stomach. She pushed down the feeling and rushed towards the sound of combat.

A single Valkyrie rapidly launched arrows of light from her fingertips in a surge of desperation. A massive wall of transformed giants was oozing towards her. Behind her, one of the Valkyries worked vigorously upon the body of her injured comrade.

"Moving up!" Kaname cried out as she and her team rushed forward. They each began to launch arrows into the wall of enemies and push the line back.

"Thank God!" the woman breathed as she fell to her hands and knees. Exhaustion took hold and she collapsed before screaming at the top of her lungs, pushing both hands down into the ground, and forcing herself to stand. Her eyes burned like fire and a trickle of blood oozed slowly down her lip from her nose.

"Where is the hostage?" Kaname asked her as she tossed another volley of arrows from her finger tips towards the crowd.

"There," the Valkyrie replied with a shout as she wiped at her face with the back of her arm. She gestured with her eyes towards a beautifully ornate water jug sitting alone on a table. After a moment of heavy breathing she redoubled her efforts and began to cast spells towards the crowd once more.

"I'll recover her," Kaname spoke as she turned to the jug. She took several steps, hovered her hand over the handle, and then looked towards her team. "I'll be right back," she assured them as she pressed her palm down. She immediately vanished.

The moment Kaname landed she came under attack. She felt the wind buffet her face plate as a massive fist whiffed past her helmet. She stumbled for a moment, stepped, and took a fighting stance as she rapidly attempted to understand her situation.

"Kaname Chidori!" A voice boomed angrily. "You ungrateful whore," Pallas spat as he stood before her.

Kaname glanced at him and her eyes fell to the crumpled figure of Athena behind him. She lay on the floor with her golden chain wrapped tightly from her foot to around her throat. Her shoulders surged pitifully. Kaname had interrupted her murder.

Kaname didn't answer. She launched herself forward, swung her sword, and watched in fear as Pallas caught the downward arcing blade with the bend of his elbow. He flexed his arm, trapped the blade between his bicep and forearm, and twisted his body before snapping the flaming hunk of metal in half as he used his body like a fulcrum. He extended his arm and twisted his waist firmly as he launched a shower of metal chunks towards Athena. The busted blade clattered around her unceremoniously.

Kaname flung herself away from Pallas as she gripped the now worthless handle of the sword in her hand. She glared at him beneath her helmet before dropping the grip to the floor and summoning several small arrows that she launched at him.

Pallas stood still as the arrows embedded themselves in his chest with only a shallow depth. He laughed, plucked the array of bolts from his flesh, and then tossed them to the floor. "Today you die again," he spoke to her before turning to look at Athena.

Athena gripped a chunk of the sword in her finger tips, raised it above her head, and slammed it downwards forcefully onto the chain near her ankle. She severed it cleanly before standing, the golden chain still glimmering around her throat.

"No," Pallas breathed nervously.

A steady stream of blood poured from the lacerated fingers of Athena as she scowled at Pallas. "A Holy sword can sever my bonds," she whispered before launching an invisible wall of energy towards Pallas.

He held up his arms in reply, took the brunt of the blast, and his entire body soared backwards into the wall where it fell through. He screamed in pain as he fell away from the pair.

"Come," Athena breathed as she gestured towards Kaname. The pair embraced before reappearing in the hallway. The jug shattered as they appeared among the Valkyries.

"Let's go!" Kaname shouted as the group rapidly vanished away from the approaching horde of giants.

"Medic!" Kaname shouted as they appeared among the Hospitalers in Heaven.

"Who rescued me?" Athena asked aloud as she approached Kaname. A brief and fleeting look of confusion passed over her features as she stared at the helmet clad figure.

"It's me," Kaname replied as she removed the helm and throat guard. She dropped them to the floor with a clatter.

"Kaname?" Athena asked softly. She stared in disbelief.

Kaname approached Athena, reached up, and slowly unwound the chain from around the neck of Athena. The pair stared into each others eyes as Kaname quickly span the chain in her palm until it wrapped around her fist.

"You saved me. I thank you," Athena spoke softly. Her lips trembled.

Kaname leaned forward quickly, clasped herself on Athena's mouth, and kissed her gently. She pulled away and watched as the shell shocked woman raised her finger tips to her mouth wordlessly.

"I'm here for you," Kaname breathed as she stared at Athena.

"I don't know what to say," Athena replied nervously as she stared in disbelief.

"We are going to get you some medical attention and then we can talk," Kaname spoke as her eyes burned. Her left eye lid twitched rapidly and she reached up to rub her face before turning and walking away through the crowd of bustling healers.

Athena felt a gentle hand under her arm and she was guided towards a group of healers. She watched as Kaname vanished in the crowd, her blue hair fading away as she was swallowed up by the activity. The Goddess wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand.

\scenebreak

"Done," Skuld spoke as she raised her hand. She gazed downwards at the device she had built from the parts provided and felt a nervous roil in her gut as she awaited the instructor to approach.

"Let's take a look," the older woman spoke. She had smiled gleefully at Skuld as she leaned down and inspected the components. "I see," she whispered as she nodded.

"I used the mana capacitor to store the spell and I allow trickle down from the crystals here and here to keep the energy charged until you need it," Skuld spoke nervously as she gestured to different parts of the device.

"How are you compensating for the energetic discharge from the crystal drainage?" the instructor asked as she peered at a line of wires that extended outwards from where the crystal housing unit sat.

"I vent to atmosphere through this section right here. It's an old technique and it won't stay stable in a highly charged environment but for the classroom, it's good enough," Skuld felt her throat constricting as she waited to be berated for her assumptive behavior.

"Skuld, this is fantastic. I had fully intended for you to go closed loop, but you were able to break out and make something really special here. Full marks!" the woman spoke encouragingly as she revealed her barely contained joy. "If I had ten soldiers who could build like you, I would be able to win this war without breaking a sweat," the woman laughed as she picked up the device and carried it to the front of the room.

Skuld felt herself beaming in her chair nervously as some of the other soldiers whispered their congratulations and admiration towards her.

"Any one who needs an idea to get them on the right track, step up here. You should each take a moment to review the project Skuld completed," the instructor spoke proudly as she placed the device on her desk and pointed towards it.

Skuld released a shoulder shaking sigh as she felt her lips curl into a smile without her volition. She was doing good and she felt a pride she couldn't mask. "Ma'am, may I offer my assistance to any of the other students?" she asked as she raised her hand.

"Please do! Who needs help?" the instructor asked as she looked about the room. Numerous hands arced to the sky as many of them requested Skuld. "Take your pick," the woman smiled at her.

Skuld stood and moved towards a student near by. "I'll stay until every one gets help. No man left behind," she grinned as she knelt near the desk occupied by a bearded man wearing glasses. The pair began to inspect his device together.

\scenebreak

"Is it the one known as Lind?" Hild asked calmly as she gazed down into a golden receptacle containing a black liquid that reflected not her reflection but the history of events in an area.

"She fights like Lind, but why hide her?" Marller replied contemplatively. "Six Valkyries plus one who never shows her wings," she continued to speak as she pointed down into the still pool of liquid.

Hild held her chin in her hand as she cocked her head and huffed. The Valkyries were completely disguised in the Akashic records and she was unable to see anything more than their outline as numerous giants died in the assault they executed.

"Well, I do have good news," Marller offered.

Hild looked up at her and waited for her to continue.

"We don't have to clear out those giants," Marller smirked.

Hild laughed. She looked back down at the decimation and a feeling of relief washed over her. "I was afraid I would be sending a team to deal with this vermin but if they want to do it for us, I don't mind. What did they engage for?" she wondered aloud.

"They rescued a hostage. A woman. We believe she may be one of the missing Gods from days gone past. A final hold over from the Helenen era," Marller spoke with a gentle shrug.

"Penelope, Athena, or Ariel?" Hild inquired swiftly.

"Not sure yet. Our spy says their security is really tight and she is afraid to ask too many questions," Marller replied.

Hild nodded before sighing. "Always an unknown. Remind our friend that she need not put her life in danger," Hild replied.

"I will inform her," Marller smiled as a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. She was relieved she would not be expected to risk the life of her informant.

"Always so kind hearted," Hild laughed as she waved her hand over the device in front of her. The pool of liquid and the receptacle vanished and Hild looked to the clock. "Sousuke will be here soon," she spoke calmly.

"Exciting," Marller clapped her hands before a swift look of embarrassment washed over her. "Let me know what happens will you?" she asked.

"First to know. You are relieved," Hild replied as she waved lightly. She watched as Marller vanished before a soft rapt on the door announced Sousuke's intentions to enter. "Come in!" she called out.

The door opened gently before Sousuke entered, closed it behind him, and approached. "Good evening Hild," he spoke as he reached out and hugged Hild as she stood and met him in the center of the room.

"So good to see you. You needed to talk to me?" she asked excitedly before releasing him and motioning towards the table she had occupied only moments before.

Sousuke nodded as he moved to the table, pulled a chair out, and waited for Hild to take a seat. He then moved to the other side and sat down to face her. He took a deep breath before dropping his shoulders and speaking confidently. "I want to marry Urd," his voice carried powerfully as he stared at Hild.

"Well, you know, in the demon world, you have to complete a quest before you can marry a Princess," Hild replied sadly. Her lip twitched as she fought down a mischievous grin from filling her face.

Sousuke frowned and stared at her before his voice escaped his lips barely above a whisper. "You do?" he asked her. A worrisome look overtook his features as his eyes fell and he leveled a scowl at the table.

"No love," Hild chuckled lightly before leaning forward onto the table. "What makes you think Urd needs my permission to marry you?" she asked him with genuine interest. She balanced herself on her elbows as she rested her chin on her bridged hands.

Sousuke looked up and smiled at Hild. He sighed and shook his head. "I'm not asking for Urd. I'm asking for me. I want your approval and your confidence," he replied as he looked into her eyes.

Hild wanted to laugh, cheer, and cry all at once. She felt herself welling with emotions as she stared at him. "I've always had confidence in you. Since you were born," she spoke evenly as she stared back.

Sousuke chuckled but he flashed her a confused look as tears slid down her cheeks slowly. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm going to tell you a story. I won't ask for your forgiveness but if you don't know now, I could never accept the future that will come out side this door," Hild breathed before standing and gesturing to the wall. She wiped at her eyes with a dab before turning her back on him.

Sousuke shifted in his seat and peered towards the nondescript wall as he awaited Hild to demonstrate her powers. He had grown accustomed to the act of sharing mental imagery among his coworkers through the use of some kind of flat object. He watched easily as the view of an air plane materialized in his vision. "This is the plane you were on the day you were lost," Hild spoke. She flicked her eyes over the soldier who remained without reaction as he allowed her to speak. She pressed on. "This cable here," she continued as the vision faded to reveal a wiggling mass of wire. "The cable there was shred and disconnected the air defense module. In a moment the air craft will be struck by an anti aircraft missile," she gestured as a bright flash of light revealed the now spinning aircraft plummeting to the ground.

"The pilot was good," Sousuke spoke calmly. He watched with a deep feeling of respect as the air craft righted itself, attempted to pull up, and ended up skidding into a field on it's belly as smoke, debris, and dirt was plowed in every direction.

"He was nearly dead. The initial explosion filled him with shrapnel and he was kind enough to grip the controls before he was dismounted from his seat," Hild spoke softly.

Sousuke nodded without a trace of emotion. He leaned forward to peer at the shattered remains of what he assumed was his father, thrown from the plane, and he leaned back after getting his fill.

"Your mother," Hild spoke as she gestured towards the torn torso of a woman still strapped into her now dislocated seat. She was splayed on her side in a mess of wreckage, blood, and gore. "You," Hild stated as she pointed towards a tiny bundle of rags tightly wrapped in the woman's clothing.

Sousuke could hear his own infantile screams and he yet still remained passive.

Hild watched him for a moment before waving her hand once again.

Sousuke turned and asked Hild bluntly. "Why are you showing me this?" he struggled to keep his tone even and neutral. A rushing heat surged through his neck and shoulders as he watched the Russian soldiers approach the air craft wreckage.

"You need to understand," Hild replied softly.

Sousuke watched a soldier approach his mother and pull the rags from her clutches. She raised her hand slowly and he realized she was still alive. He grunted as the man withdrew a pistol, aimed downwards, and snuffed out what light she had left.

"A mercy," Hild assured Sousuke but he did not react or move.

The soldier placed the infant on the ground, stepped back, and took aim. A moment later he was staggering from an angry punch thrown by a man Sousuke recognized. His surrogate father. The soldiers squared off before Sousuke was whisked up and away by the soldier he would never forget.

"You were beaten. You were tormented. You fought," Hild spoke as different moments from his life flashed by. "You did harm," she spoke softly.

"I did what I had to do," Sousuke spoke as he watched himself with a cold detachment. A bevy of auto cannon shell casings rained down around him as he peppered targets in his arm slave. He looked away as he realized he was smiling in the present as he had in the past. He felt self conscious.

"You did," Hild assured him firmly. "I'm showing you this because of what I did," she continued.

"What did you do?" he asked as curiosity over took him.

"Do you know what they call me?" Hild asked him.

"The Lord Of Lies," Sousuke replied immediately. "It's disparaging," he scowled.

Hild chuckled and then continued to speak. "You are correct. I am not the Lord Of Lies. I was known as and am The Great Manipulator," she explained.

Sousuke waited for her to continue as he watched her.

"The wire that led to your plane being shot down? Me. Your parents death? Me. The beatings? Me. Every step you took was gently guided by a prod, a touch, or a whisper by me. I needed you Sousuke," Hild spoke with a heady tone as she shuddered. "I needed you to become you. I needed you to meet Urd. I needed you to bring me my daughter back. I waited nearly thirty years for this moment," she groaned as her shoulders sagged and she inhaled deeply with a look of smug satisfaction on her face.

Sousuke remained passive as he eyed Hild. He shifted in the chair, stood, and crossed his arms.

"I have been sharpening the sword. You. All this time, I have been waiting for you to become a worthy addition to my family," Hild spoke.

"Urd told me there is free will," Sousuke spoke after a moments contemplation.

"Oh but there is!" Hild replied excitedly. "When I whispered in the ear of your savior, I reminded him of his children. I told him to remember his son. He punched that man not because I asked him to, but because he wanted to. He saved you because he remembered the face of his children and couldn't shoulder the responsibility of your death," she replied with a wide grin and jittery excitement. "Free will!" she nearly cheered as she gestured at the wall.

"Why me?" Sousuke asked her with an even tenor as he reached up to scratch at his face.

"That is the question isn't it? The question we all ask. Why me?" Hild laughed as she gestured to the wall.

Sousuke didn't recognize this memory. He frowned as he watched two children huddled in a damp room with little light. A moment later the walls began to blister and explode inwards showering the pair in a steady stream of plaster and building material. Beams of sun light cut over their figure through the now shattered abode. They were clutching each other desperately as they screamed in terror.

"Who is this?" Sousuke asked swiftly. Their screams made his blood run cold.

Hild snapped her fingers and Sousuke felt his jaw clench. He was locked in combat with another Arm Slave, his rifle pumped round after round as he tried to lead the nimble mechanized war machine with his shots. The errant rounds tore through a building. His mouth was dry.

"Why indeed?" Hild spoke.

Sousuke felt his hands shaking and he clutched his shirt beneath his armpits to steady himself.

"The little boy here? He was shot by a sniper attempting to gather food three days later. They survived your battle but didn't survive the war. The older sister? She strapped a suicide vest to her body and detonated herself six days after that. She volunteered after loosing every member of her family. Her target? A man who would have killed you three weeks after that. She saved your life even after you participated in the destruction of hers," Hild scowled as she stared at him with a deep sadness in her eyes.

"Why?" Sousuke asked her. He gestured to the wall. "Why so many steps? Why not ask me?" he pressed.

"A family torn asunder by conflict. A whisper in a little girls ear. Hate and anger. Humans call it chaos theory. They believe that mathematics can explain it. Do you know about chaos theory?" Hild asked him.

Sousuke shook his head in the negative.

"Every action of every thing in the world is a stepping stone to another action. They use a butterfly as an example but why mince words? I started the dominoes falling the moment they took Urd from me. Years of pushing, prodding, and killing until the day came that I had you. A baby destined to die in a plane crash whom I saw gave me a direct line to my goal. I used you to get to this day," Hild smiled at him.

Sousuke nodded.

"Do you still want Urd?" she asked him bluntly.

"Undeniably," Sousuke replied.

"Even with all you know now?" Hild pressed.

Sousuke shook his head and began to laugh as he placed his hands on his head and intertwined his fingers. "I don't care if you worked to make this happen," he spoke as he sighed.

"Urd could have left you to die that night you were stabbed. Instead, she brought you home and loved you," Hild spoke.

"You had me stabbed?" Sousuke asked.

"You can drop your guard. You are a student now. Why worry? The battlefield is far away," Hild whispered at him with a silky and seductive voice. "No fears here," she spoke before bursting into laughter.

Sousuke nodded. He remembered the words she spoke. Words he believed he had thought only to discover her urging had left him nearly dead. "I want to marry Urd," he growled dangerously.

"You will," Hild replied as she gestured towards him. "You have many things to do yet," she confirmed.

Sousuke squinted at Hild before pointing at her. "I don't care about free will. I don't care about your war. I don't care about Earth. What I care about is Urd, my child, and Skuld," Sousuke explained firmly. "I stand ready to serve for my own aims," he finalized.

Hild began to clap. Slowly she slapped her hands together as she smiled at him. She then dropped her hands and beamed with pride. "Free will. You could have rejected her, ran, or demanded help from me in some way but instead you turn your anger into strength and inspire respect. This is the sharpened blade I needed," Hild looked ecstatic.

"Then I have your blessing?" Sousuke asked her as his features curled demonically.

"In every way. Son," Hild grinned as she moved forward, extended her hand, and drew Sousuke into an affectionate hug. "I'm proud of you. The prophecy spoke that the daughter of the devil would marry a dead man. Here he is," she whispered into his ear.

Sousuke frowned but did not reply.

Hild stepped back and a wild look of jubilation filled her features as her eyes welled with tears. "Take this," Hild spoke as she extended her fist to him. She waited for him to open his palm beneath her fingers before dropping a setting in his hand. "The gem shattered long ago, but you will know what to place inside of it when the time comes," Hild breathed softly.

"Was this yours?" Sousuke asked her.

"God has given me two gifts in my life time. My daughters life and this ring," Hild confirmed.

Sousuke placed the ring in his pocket, nodded, and stepped back. "You are entrusting me with both," he spoke softly.

"You will possess all I hold dear," Hild confirmed. "Be cognizant of your responsibilities," she urged him as her tone of voice held a deadly edge.

Sousuke nodded.


	21. Ah! A Goddess Has A Sacrifice To Make!

Sousuke walked quietly beside Hild as they left her study. He couldn't stop replaying her words in his head. He felt a mix of emotions that made it difficult for him to process the conversation they had entertained only moments before. After several uncomfortable seconds of silence he found a need to speak. "Does Urd know?" he asked her.

Hild was unresponsive. She kept stride with him, looked straight ahead, and her passive expression made him wonder if she had heard him.

"How do you even start that conversation?" he wondered more to himself than in any attempt to stoke the conversation. The soldier peered towards Hild with a side ways glance of his eyes and then fell silent as she continued to ignore him.

They approached a door way and Hild took several hurried steps forward, turned, and stopped to face him. She crossed her arms and then placed the finger tips of her right hand against her chin as she supported her elbow with her other hand. "Urd was never privy to my machinations. This conspiracy has been mine in whole and she, should she discover it, may never forgive me. I have taken a calculated risk that has brought her home to me, and now that I have cleared my conscience, I wonder. Do you feel a need to now clear yours?" she asked him with a hard and level stare.

"Her feelings for me?" Sousuke asked bluntly.

"Her and hers alone. It is my knowledge and belief that she loves you dearly," Hild spoke to him as she considered his face with intense scrutiny. "Are you worried that my sins may have reduced your affections?" she asked him.

"I will tell you my fear. I am terrified that this is my Hell. That I will walk through this door, speak to Urd, and discover that every moment I have lived was not real. What a way to destroy me," Sousuke breathed out between his teeth with a hiss as he shook off the feeling of dread in his stomach.

"I was worried this might happen. A human in our world can often suffer a form of mental detachment. You start to question what is real when you realize the power we have over your mind, senses, and even your future. What if you were still laying on your back, bleeding to death, in your little apartment? Was it all a fever dream? Your mind could be in the final throws of death and the chemical reactions are providing you a show before nothingness," Hild allowed her eyes to grow wide before wiggling her eye brows at him.

Sousuke swallowed hard and squinted before crossing his arms and staring at her with a hard glare.

"I'm just messing with you love," Hild replied as she smirked. "Go to Urd. There is no use in you or I speculating when you can resolve all of this for better or for worse just past these doors," she continued to speak as she moved to the side and gestured.

"I'm going to go to her," Sousuke nodded once as he began to walk past Hild. He stopped as he began to cross her path, turned at the neck, and looked into her eyes. "You know I love her and I am willing to do anything for her. Yes?" he whispered.

"I do," Hild confirmed with a smile.

"If you betray us. If you take what I have. If you destroy me. Kill me. Obliterate me. Don't leave me empty. Promise me that you will show me a modicum of mercy and don't leave me to discover it was just an empty dream," Sousuke finalized.

"You never cease to impress me," Hild breathed before reaching out, placing a palm on his back, and gently prodding him towards the door. "Just go," she smiled.

Sousuke turned to the door, reached for the handle, and disappeared past the precipice. He shut the door behind himself quietly.

Hild inhaled hard, exhaled swiftly, and dropped her shoulders. She turned on her heels and began the walk back to her half of the castle. She extended the hand that she had prodded Sousuke with, wiggled her finger tips, and glanced at her palm as she walked. The palm of her hand was covered in runes that glowed, ebbed, and shimmered. She sighed, shook her wrist, and the designs faded away.

\scenebreak

Sousuke made his way towards the bedroom that he shared with Urd. He could see the door was ajar and a baleful tune echoed towards him as he approached. He slowed, mustered his courage, and then stopped at the ingress. He crossed his arms, leaned against the door jam, and placed the side of his head against the wood as he felt the roiling emotions in his gut abate.

Urd was sitting with her back towards the door. She had a book open to her left on a table as a demonic love song played on the radio she kept to her right. She was slowly chopping herbs with a silver knife on a cutting board made of what appeared to be an ebony wood. She hummed softly.

Sousuke couldn't bring himself to interrupt her. He watched her deftly move the knife as she held the dried bunch of leaves with the knuckles of her left hand. She would chop rapidly, gather the mince with the blade of the knife with a gentle side ways motion, and then repeat the action. She gathered a mortar, placed it in front of herself against the edge of the board, and then used the knife to guide the plant matter until it dropped cleanly into the opening. "How was work creeper?" she asked aloud.

Sousuke felt his face curl into a grin. He watched as she placed the knife down and turned to face him. Her face was filled with a smile that accentuated every feature beautifully. She was true perfection. "It was good. I'm sorry I was late. I was talking to your mother," he stated.

"I saw the Charger parked outside and I assumed as much. You said you wanted to talk to her. Can I ask why?" Urd questioned him as she reached to the side, grabbed a pestle and a small red pepper like plant. She dumped the pepper into the bowl and began to crush the mixture before crossing her legs and waiting for him to speak.

"I asked her for permission to marry you," he replied softly.

"You don't need her permission," Urd spoke quickly as she huffed at him.

"She said as much," Sousuke laughed as he pulled his head away from the wall long enough to nod it. He thought for a moment and then stood straight. "What are you making?" he asked as he felt a need for a temporary reprieve from the subject at hand.

"Brain food," Urd replied. She stopped mixing and used the index finger of the hand holding the pestle to point at the bowl. "I am creating a potion that enhances learning and makes it easier for the brain to decompress during intense study sessions," she grinned as a look of pride flashed over her features.

"Skuld?" Sousuke asked her.

"She has been working so hard. I decided I would give her a small pack of potions she can use on the weekend. She can study and work and when she has a couple of days off she can sip one of these and it will help her build mental elasticity," Urd explained as she returned to crushing the mixture.

Sousuke nodded before speaking wryly, "Would that have helped a particular college student?"

"Sorry. No humans allowed. The risks far out weight the rewards when it comes to something like this," she smiled at him with a downcast look to her features that implied empathy.

"Am I human?" Sousuke found the words pouring from his mouth and he looked away with a shameful aversion of his eyes.

"What? Where did that come from?" Urd seemed shocked at his outburst and she jerked her head back in surprise.

"Am I dead?" Sousuke asked her as he turned his eyes back on her. They held each others gaze and he felt a fear well inside of him as she placed the mortar and pestle onto the table. Her eyes spoke something to him that frightened him unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"What did my mom say to you?" Urd asked slowly.

"She said that I was hand picked," Sousuke began to speak. He felt as though he were responsible in some way for deceiving Urd and a self loathing filled his heart until it constricted his throat.

Urd shook her head before waving her hand. "I knew you were different," Urd spoke quickly. She stood, approached Sousuke, and then drew him into an embrace. "You didn't trick me and you didn't do anything wrong," she spoke quickly.

"I was sent to trick you into coming home or something," Sousuke felt his voice shake in his mouth and he choked on the words.

"You couldn't trick me if you wanted to," Urd laughed as she leaned towards him and planted several kisses in rapid succession on his lips.

"You knew?" he asked her as he reached up, wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed as though he feared he may loose her if he let go.

"Not exactly. I knew you were displaced from the records of time and only the dead are removed from the karmic," her voice began to fade as she grimaced at him. "Sorry. I know this is hard to explain and sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo. Let me start over. You weren't normal and after reading you I realized that Hild might have sent you," she confirmed with a nod.

"But you still took me in?" he asked.

"I realized how much I loved you. I realized and knew right away. I decided it was best to enjoy my short period of joy and to let it end. Better to love and loose than to never love at all," she grinned at him.

"Is that why you were so willing to do the things that were considered wrong?" he asked her.

"I decided that if she wanted to try to manipulate me, I would take it. I would love you completely, die, and I could be free of all of the things that filled me with so much pain knowing that I accepted you fully. Instead though, I discovered you were stronger than that. You fought where I gave up. You struggled where I raised the white flag. You hefted a weapon and charged head long into every fight presented and I realized I could fight too," she breathed raggedly.

"Will you marry me?" Sousuke asked her bluntly. He stared at her and waited.

"Yes," Urd replied with finality. The pair embraced and shared a deep kiss.

After several seconds Sousuke leaned back and looked at her. "Does this mean I am a zombie?" he asked aloud.

"What is wrong with you?" Urd sighed exasperatedly as she stifled a laugh. "No, you are not a zombie," she reassured him. "You are outside the karmic laws of Earth. That's all. Technically I am sharing my karma with you and so we are intertwined in survival," she grimaced as she explained but held eye contact.

"You are the only reason I live?" he asked.

"I would split my soul and give you half if you wanted to be free," Urd offered. Her eyes sparkled and her lip quivered as she reached up to grip the chest of his shirt with her finger tips.

Sousuke shook his head in the negative before leaning down to kiss her again. The pair embraced silently as she rested her head on his chest.

\scenebreak

"Enter," a voice spoke.

A moment later Belldandy materialized in the nondescript and completely white room. She appeared slowly like a mirage. Her features were sharp and she scowled in a way that was very much unlike her.

"What troubles you child?" the sound of the voice permeated the room completely.

"My home was attacked. If I had not been there, they may have harmed Mr. Keiichi," she exclaimed quickly. "Why? What have I done to deserve this animosity?" she demanded as her voice broke. She was shaking as she flexed her fists and stared upwards.

"No one can claim to understand the mind of the pure evil," the voice spoke softly.

"Did an Icarus unit attack Urd?" she asked aloud in reply.

There was no response.

"What spurred on the attack?" Belldandy pressed.

Again, her inquiry was met with silence.

"Why? Why push a self fulfilling prophecy? If you attack Hell, you can expect them to attack back. Why disrupt what we had? I guarded Urd and," Belldandy was unable to complete her train of thought as the voice boomed an interruption in reply.

"Valkyrie Belldandy! You have grown too accustomed to your autonomy. You were entrusted with Urd and look what has happened! You yourself carry the marks! You dare come to us to question our methods when you could not control your urges for more than a few Earth years? A blink of the eye in our grand scheme! You presume that your opinion is more valuable than it is!" the voice filled the room with an oppressive bass that made Belldandy feel as though she might collapse under the weight.

Belldandy dropped her eyes to the floor as an embarrassed shame over took her faculties. She could feel her cheeks filling with heat as her face surged with blood. She fought down any reply and fell to her knees.

"Child! You will never see Urd alive again. You lost Skuld. You lost Urd. You failed in your mission and because you did not kill the man known as Sousuke when we asked you to, YOU began the self fulfilling prophecy," the voice continued to berate her as she clutched the hem of her skirt in her hands in a tight and vice like grip.

"I was assured they would be spared," Belldandy spoke quietly.

"If you had not proven time and time again your loyalty, you would be the first to die. You dare bring Hild into our world? You disrupted our clean up. We needed to only kill Skuld to begin the process of resolving these problems peacefully. You are repeatedly experiencing lapses in your judgment and this behavior will lead to your death in short order," the voice was cold and held an edge like Belldandy had never heard before.

"Skuld?" Belldandy asked.

"Sentenced to die. Urd. Sousuke Sagara. Keiichi Morisato. Tessa Testerossa. All sentenced to die," the voice was calm and hateful.

Belldandy felt as though she could not breathe and she clutched at her chest with her left hand.

"You will kill the traitor first," the voice commanded.

Belldandy looked upwards and pure confusion fell upon her features.

"Peorth," the voice spoke with calm and detached hate. "Travel to her home, end her life, and prove your worth once more. Her mate as well. You will clean this up yourself. Morisato will be the next. Bring his head to us. Go," the voice ordered.

Belldandy stared with wide eyes upwards, stood, and nodded her head. She swayed on her feet, dropped her eyes, and vanished. She appeared moments later outside a nondescript home on a very normal street that she had never seen before. The home, the street, and the atmosphere was warm, sunny, and peaceful. She felt sick.

"I wondered when you would get here," a voice spoke out. A tall and lanky man approached from the side of the house gripping a bat in his hand. He scowled as he slapped the aluminum tool into the palm of his hand.

Belldandy didn't recognize him as she sniffed the air and confirmed her suspicions. "Otaki?" she asked as a grin tugged at the side of her mouth. She stared at him in shock.

Otaki nodded but didn't reply as he draped the end of the bat up onto his shoulder. He stood defiantly. He wore no shirt, a pair of khaki business pants, and a thick black belt. He no longer had his distinctive ear rings and had cut his hair. He looked presentable.

"Do you know why I am here?" Belldandy asked.

"I do," Otaki replied. He approached her, lifted the bat over his head, and brought it down with all of his might. The make shift weapon bent as the edge of the weapon struck Belldandy just above her eye brow. He exhaled as he dug the now angular weapon into her face, stood, and sighed.

"Did you believe that would work on me Mr. Otaki?" Belldandy asked him with an understanding tone to her voice. She smiled at him sadly. "Where is Peorth?" Belldandy asked again.

"Fuck yourself Belldandy," Otaki spoke softly. He stared at the floor dejectedly as his shoulders slumped and his grip on the ruined bat slipped. The aluminum weapon clattered to the floor beneath his feet and he clenched his fists and teeth.

Belldandy clasped her hands together and exhaled. Holy Bell rose over her shoulders and stared down at Otaki. "Capture him," Belldandy spoke aloud.

Otaki didn't struggle as Holy Bell slammed him into the dirt, twisted him over, and then wrapped his wrists and ankles in a rope of shimmering white energy. His muscles surged as he struggled against the restraints but he remained silent.

"I know she is inside," Belldandy replied. "She sent you alone?" she asked.

"Damn it Peorth! I told you to run!" Otaki broke his silence as he sobbed. He turned his head to face the home and shouted. "Get the fuck out of here!"

"I can't leave you," Peorth spoke softly from the door. She opened it, exited, and stared at Belldandy. She flipped her hair and ran her left hand down the side of her face.

Belldandy recoiled for a moment. She ran her eyes across her face and realized it was covered in a thick design of swirls and tribal markings.

"I knew you would come for us when I stopped showing up to work. Do you know every thing yet?" Peorth asked as she walked slowly towards Belldandy.

"You have been funneling information to Hell from your position as a Goddess. You were hiding your markings but when they showed up on your face you knew the game was up," Belldandy confirmed. "Why though?"

"Sousuke and Urd demonstrated what it could mean for one of us to fall in love and to fight for it," Peorth sighed before looking down at Otaki. "See," she breathed out as she held up two rings that she held daintily between her thumb and index finger with each hand.

"You married?" Belldandy questioned as she looked between the two.

"Just get it over with you bitch!" Otaki cried out as he was rocked with another sob. He flexed his gut and dragged his chest against the floor as he rotated to face Belldandy.

"I'm not a fighter like you, but I am stronger than Otaki," Peorth spoke softly as she summoned a chain whip, wrapped the rings onto the end, and allowed the make shift weapon to hang from her hand. She began to swing the weighted end as her eyes drew into slits. The rings whistled as she picked up speed, whipped it around her body, and then used the reversal of momentum to launch the rings towards Belldandy.

Belldandy remained passive as she reached out, snatched the chain from the air, and jerked her shoulder. Peorth sailed towards her and Holy Bell surged over her shoulder before tackling her and pinning her to the ground. She too was restrained with the white energy bands.

Peorth gasped. She felt her eyes well with tears as she stared into the broken expression that Otaki wore.

"I'm so sorry," Otaki choked out as he began to cry.

"It's my fault," Peorth replied hastily. She bit her lip, fought the torrent of emotions, and lost as she burst into a sobbing wail. "I love you," she spoke quickly.

"I love you too," Otaki nearly shouted. He struggled against the restraints as he attempted to reach for her.

"Do you know what I was asked to do?" Belldandy shouted as she whirled on the pair. "Do you?" she appeared unhinged as she knelt and stared at the pair.

"Kill us," Peorth answered her. "Just fucking do it!" she demanded.

"I was given a list!" Belldandy replied with a growl. "I was asked to kill Otaki, Peorth, and," she paused before looking to Holy Bell. "Tessa," she spoke the name and Holy Bell vanished before returning with the woman. She tossed her now bound body on the floor.

"What the fuck?" Tessa cried out as she looked back at Belldandy.

"Mr. Keiichi," she spoke again. Holy Bell vanished and reappeared with the now bound boyfriend.

"Starting the genocide with your own hands?" Otaki screamed. "Any one living their life in a way you don't like? You hypocritical bitch!" he raged.

"Bell?" Keiichi Morisato wiggled on the floor as he began to look about with a confused look on his face. "Belldandy! What is happening?" he asked her with a desperate tone.

"I've been tasked with doing the Lord's work," Belldandy smiled, chuckled, and began to laugh. Her shoulders shook and she reached up to hold her head in her hands. Thick tears leaked from her eyes as she began to shake. "They tried to kill Urd and Skuld. I have to kill them too!" she shouted.

"Bell! Please!" Keiichi cried out.

"You stupid bitch!" Tessa screamed before she spoke an incantation. A demonic haze of energy passed through the air and her bindings snapped. She surged to her feet, drew her side arm, and whirled on Holy Bell. She bent at the knees, took aim with both eyes open, and gently squeezed the trigger three times. She released a tight shot group that thudded with each strike. Holy Bell collapsed in a heap and she pivoted to take aim at Belldandy. She fired another three shots.

Belldandy stood still. She didn't flinch as the three balls of lead flattened themselves against her chest. She reached up, wiped her hand downwards, and loosened the bullets to allow them to fall to the ground. "Stop trying to be funny," she scowled.

"I'm not!" Tessa shouted back.

"Not you," Belldandy shook her head as she gestured towards Holy Bell. The angel looked up from the floor, smiled, and floated up to her feet. She raised her hands over her head, yawned, and then smiled towards Keiichi.

Tessa dropped the weapon and held her arms out. "Well?" she asked.

"Tamiya," Belldandy replied.

Holy Bell vanished and again she returned with the massive man. He was tossed unceremoniously at the feet of Tessa. He looked about at the faces of his fellow hostages, looked to Tessa, and nodded once. "Save yourself," he commanded before closing his eyes.

Tessa chuckled, smiled, and knelt to place her hand on his back. "I love you. You big dumb ass," she sighed.

"Who am I forgetting?" Belldandy asked as she extended her hand. She summoned her halberd and began to spin it lazily. Her footsteps were nearly silent as she looked about at her hostages. "They told me to kill every single one of you. The only way to prove my loyalty," she hissed as she paced.

"Belldandy?" Keiichi spoke.

Belldandy stopped walking and looked down at him.

"I don't understand what is happening. I don't know what we did to deserve this but if it will keep you safe, you can do what ever you want to me," he breathed through his teeth with a shudder. "I'm scared Belldandy. Just don't let me hurt," he pleaded with her as he began to shake. "I can do this because I want to protect you," he gasped as tears over took him.

Belldandy stared at him. She summoned her armor wordlessly, placed her helmet on her head, and energized her halberd with enough force that the blade erupted into a crackling flame of green plasma.

"Oh God," Keiichi gushed as he clamped his eyes tightly shut and grimaced.

"Do you know what I am going to do to you?" she asked aloud.

"Go fuck yourself," Tessa shouted in reply.

"I'm going to send every single one of you to Hell," Belldandy replied softly.

Peorth snapped her attention to Belldandy. She stared up at her with wide eyes as a look of confusion passed over her. "Do what?" Peorth asked.

"Good bye!" Belldandy shouted. She waved her arm in a wide arc and the entire group vanished. She threw herself into a roll and dodged out of the way as numerous Valkyries erupted through the aether and surrounded her. She began to laugh as Holy Bell rose high above her, radiated a bright white light, and then extended her hands in a combat stance.

"Your inevitable betrayal was unsurprising," one of the Valkyries spoke as she readied her sword.

"I betray no one," Belldandy replied. A flash of light beneath her helmet announced the loss of her Goddess marking.

"Since you let Hild enter our domain to save your disgusting sister, we have been waiting for a chance to kill you," another Valkyrie spoke as she squared off with Belldandy. The group stood still as each sized the other up in turn.

Belldandy drew in a breath, held it, and then released it in small spurts until pulling in another long and deep inhalation. A moment later she surged into action with an unheard of speed. She lashed out with her halberd, struck one of the Valkyries before she could move, and cleanly severed her in two at the waist.

"Kill her!" one of the women shouted as she erupted towards Belldandy, swung her sword, and fell back to avoid the counter attack. The Valkyries began a process of hit and run as they would rush forward to land a cut before flying away. The same tactics Belldandy would have used against a superior foe.

Belldandy pulled her halberd up, shifted her weight onto one leg, and then propelled herself with a quick hop before spinning, extending the blade with a sweep of her arm, and then dropping back down to repeat the motion as she pursued her opponent. She held Holy Bell back in order to lull her opponent into a sense of security and then she spotted her chance.

Holy Bell burst forward like a tsunami close to the ground, extended her hands, and grabbed the Valkyries ankles. She surged into an alligator like death spiral that rendered the woman unable to fight back. Her screams carried with an odd treble as she span in a tight circle.

Belldandy ran forwards, took two steps until she stood on the back of Holy Bell, and then swept her weapon in an arc that removed the legs of the woman at the knee. She performed an aerial cartwheel, landed in front of Holy Bell, and then rushed past her back in the direction she came from to continue fighting the swarming group of enraged Valkyries.

"Destroy her angel!" became a battle cry as several Valkyries rushed towards Holy Bell with their swords drawn back in preparation to cut.

Belldandy worked in swift circular motions in order to protect herself at every angle. The flash of sword and spear moved at her from every direction as she continued to hold the fighters at bay. A target presented itself as a woman stumbled in front of her and she took it.

The Valkyrie realized her mistake as she watched Belldandy ready her blade, thrust it forward, and collide with the breast plate beneath her left arm. Belldandy skipped backwards before flutter kicking forwards to land the ball of her foot against the handle of the weapon. It burst through the woman like a rocket, propelled towards another shocked target, and buried itself in her chest. Belldandy immediately took a running leap before landing on top of the protruding handle and swinging her leg forward to land a kick that bent the woman's head back at an odd angle. She collapsed backwards and Belldandy road the motion forward into a run as she reached back, snatched the handle, and freed her weapon with a ripping motion.

"Stop her!" an order rang out from the crowd.

"She is too fast!" came a reply from another.

Holy Bell quickly dodged attacks as two Valkyries attempted to over hand cut her from opposing directions. She gracefully bent, stepped, and twirled as blade after blade whooshed past her. Every attack intended for her flesh was avoided with cat like finesse. She leaned back, allowed a blade to pass her, and then lashed out with a grabbing motion. She snatched at the woman's arm, gripped, and then tore the muscle from the bone before she slipped her other hand under the blade, twisted it up, and then propelled it back into her adversaries throat as she bent her arm at a strange slant.

Belldandy and Holy Bell both found themselves replete with adversaries as every successful elimination seemed to only spawn two more. The endless wave of Valkyries poured from the air around them as portal after portal erupted. The ground was awash in the detritus of battle.

Belldandy lifted her leg to kick a wildly swinging opponent and grimaced as a spear was thrust deep into her calf. She cried out, threw herself forward, and felt the handle of the weapon snap as the tip of the weapon remained in her flesh. She stumbled, knelt, and swung her blade overhead in a helicopter like movement in order to keep her opponents at bay. They swarmed like blood frenzied sharks as they surged near the edge of her rotating blade awaiting their chance to feast.

Holy Bell rushed forwards, flipped forward in the air, and landed on top of the spinning blade. She crouched, extended her arms out, and released a barrage of energy bolts as she rotated with the blade. The spinning attack felled several of the closest Valkyries as the rest were forced prone. She then jumped up and off the blade as Belldandy lost her grip and the weapon flailed in a wild arc over the crowd.

"Now!" a voice cried out in the crowd.

"Kill her!" another answered.

"Our only chance!" yet another screamed.

Belldandy moved to roll out of the way of a thrusting spear but was unable to muster the speed. She cried out as Valkyrie after Valkyrie rammed their weapons into her legs. She felt the spear tips and sword blades cutting into her calves, her knees, and her thighs. She swung her arms wildly until she fell face first into the ground. Her legs resembled pin cushions with the shear number of weapons penetrating her flesh. They had no intention to risk themselves and resigned their attacks to her already weakened extremities.

Holy Bell fell into a panic, rushed forward to provide assistance, and was felled as a Valkyrie rammed a spear into her chest. She slammed the Angel to the ground, pinned her, and several more rushed forward to gouge their weapons into her. A deep silence over came the field as each of the Valkyries froze in time.

Belldandy screamed as she watched the Valkyries standing over her Angel. She reached out with her hand and collapsed as she prepared to die. Then a warm wash of fluid landed on her head. She jerked in surprise as her vision blurred and she fought to peer up at the now decapitated attackers who toppled in a heap around her. She shot her vision to those huddled around Holy Bell and watched as they too lost their heads. "What?" she muttered.

The skull of every Valkyrie in the group who stood within 25 yards of Belldandy exploded in a violent shower of blood and gore. Their bodies jerked and twitched as a curtain of blood covered the battle field. The squelch and pop was nauseating.

"Ladies," a soft, slow, and feminine voice rang out. Hild appeared among the carnage as though she were fading into existence. She walked slowly towards Belldandy with an exaggerated swish of her hips. Her body lost its transparency with every step. "What is going on here?" she asked aloud to the surging crowd of Valkyries.

The landscape was dead silent. The Valkyries shared glances as each sized up the Queen of Hell, the ultimate prize, in turn.

"Do you smell that?" Hild asked as she leaned her head back and inhaled deeply. She looked towards one of the Valkyries, smirked, and answered herself. "It's bitch. I smell bitch," she chuckled as she placed the back of her hand over her mouth.

An overeager Valkyrie who stood behind Hild lurched and then extended her wings before rocketing towards her with her sword held high. She froze in midair, shimmered, and then exploded into a pink puff of mist. The Valkyrie was obliterated wholly.

Hild grinned as her features turned demonic. She ignored the explosion of flesh behind her as she made her way to Holy Bell, knelt, and ran her hand over one of the spear shafts. "Poor little Angel. A loyal servant," she sighed before the weapons faded from view and a baleful whimper echoed from the wounded Angel. "Off to the medics with you," Hild spoke before the Angel vanished.

Belldandy groaned as she attempted to push herself off the floor. She yelped, wheezed, and then screamed as she collapsed under her own weight. "What did you do with Bell?" she demanded through a thick mouthful of mucous.

Hild chuckled, stood, and walked towards Belldandy. The circle of Valkyries stretched to keep themselves at a distance they felt was safe from Hild as they continued to pace and surge around her threateningly. None had the courage to engage.

"Hello Belldandy," Hild spoke. "You look well," she chuckled as she stared down at the battered and bleeding woman.

"I'm ready," Belldandy spoke as she reached up, removed her helmet, and tossed it away from herself.

"For?" Hild asked as she considered her softly.

"To pay for my sins," Belldandy spoke as she looked up at Hild. Her eyes squinted and she smiled serenely. "I know what you have been waiting to do to me. Do it," she urged as her left leg twitched and she grimaced in pain.

Hild rolled her eyes and shook her head as she looked around herself. "You are a vicious little bitch when you want to be. Aren't you?" she spoke rhetorically as her lip curled into a smile. "Did you know I am going to get one heck of a scolding for showing up here before my army?" Hild spoke.

Belldandy frowned, turned her head, and looked back up at Hild with a confused look on her face.

"If any one is going to give you a spanking, it will be me," Hild sighed as she crossed her arms. She concentrated on Belldandy, exhaled, and smiled as the woman vanished. "Well then, where were we?" Hild asked as she looked up at the crowd of warriors, cracked her knuckles, and then held her open palms upwards to reveal a cascade of purple energy that she had summoned.

The Valkyries conspired and shared glances as they wordlessly planned their attack. Their machinations were dashed as a unit of demons materialized to form a circle around Hild. Husna, Marller, and a cadre of massive red skinned and horned men appeared with weapons drawn.

"Mom!" Marller gushed as she strode two steps towards Hild. She paused, placed a hand over her lips, and a stricken look crossed her face. She blushed furiously before extending her wings, igniting her hands, and summoning every bit of power she held within herself. The ground cracked under her feet as she cast a challenging glare outwards at the mass of Valkyries.

"Oh Marller dear," Hild smiled as her heart fluttered with pride in her chest. She reached out and placed her hand softly on the girls shoulder and for a brief moment she could only see the little girl she had welcomed into her home so long ago. She welled with joy as she looked around herself at the men and women she considered family.

"Orders?" Husna inquired as she darted her attention from target to target. She shook with excitement as she wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. Her thighs quivered and her vision blurred in and out of focus as she waited for an opportunity to begin a slaughter unlike any seen on Earth in a very long time.

Hild extended her left hand over her head, grinned, and watched as the Valkyries began to scatter. Numerous members of the kill squad scrambled to escape before a bright flash of purple energy enveloped the stragglers and the proud. She scorched a circle around her and her defenders that extended outwards for hundreds of yards. Entire blocks were wiped clean of any evidence of life. The surrounding area appeared more Martian than Earth like. Then the group vanished.

The group returned to Hell where a bustle of activity was occurring all around.

Hild turned to Marller and spoke. "Go to Urd. Take her to the hospital. Do not leave her alone with Belldandy but make sure she knows where she is and what has happened so far. Make sure you are the first to break the news and get her there," she commanded.

Marller nodded and vanished immediately.

"Husna," Hild spoke. She turned her attention on the woman and smiled at her before pointing in the direction of the hospital. "Get a team together of your most level headed and calm, get them to the hospital, and guard Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld. I don't want someone performing us any kind of special service that leads to an issue. Do you understand my meaning?"

Husna bowed as she placed her fist over her chest. She prepared to leave but froze. "Sousuke?" she inquired.

"Ask the Major to put him in charge of some kind of research or intelligence related activity. Let us keep him busy for now while we deal with Belldandy. I am concerned there may be some animosity between the pair yet," she sighed.

"As you command," Husna replied. She vanished silently.

Hild leaned her head back, rotated it around, and dropped her shoulders as she tried to release the tension in her body. "What a bothersome day," she spoke before flashing an encouraging smile at one of the female warriors near by who seemed unable to take her eyes off of Hild. The woman smiled back timidly and then returned to her work.

\scenebreak

"We have a bit of a situation," Major Cummins spoke hurriedly as he walked at an impressive pace beside Sousuke.

"Situation?" Sousuke replied as his eye brow rose and he flashed a curious look at the Major.

"Ol' Hanoi done beat your shit starting record," The Major chuckled as he smiled toothily at Sousuke.

Sousuke frowned and stared back as the pair rushed past a group of goblins running in the opposite direction.

"I am going to need you to do some baby sitting," Major Cummins grimaced as he spoke. "Someone decided to drop off a great big ol' pile of trouble on our door step before she decided to try to get herself killed," he rolled his eyes and emphasized his words to display his disdain.

"Anything I can do to help," Sousuke nodded firmly as the pair stopped outside a door. He allowed his eyes to dart from individual to individual and he counted seven guards posted outside the door.

"In here," Major Cummins spoke as he held up his hand and a soft glow communicated information to the very attentive guards. One of them opened the door and motioned the pair inside.

Sousuke felt a strong desire to laugh as he peered at the group in the room. Tamiya knelt on one knee as Tessa stared at him from where she sat perched on his leg with both her arms as well as her legs crossed. She resembled a Queen on her throne as she shot a haughty look at the pair.

Otaki and Peorth sat huddled in a corner while Keiichi Morisato sat against the wall with his head hung low.

"No chairs?" Tessa questioned as she stared at Sousuke.

"Sorry about that," Major Cummins replied as he leaned back out the door and spoke to one of the guards. A number of couches appeared in the room and he gestured towards one of them. "Take your pick little lady," he smiled at her.

Tessa scowled, stood, and moved to sit on a black couch in the center of the room. Tamiya stood, shook out his leg, and then approached to stand beside her with his arms crossed. "This is bullshit," she grumbled as she extended her arms to rest across the head of the couch and stared at Sousuke.

"What we have gathered so far is that Belldandy was ordered to kill each of you and she decided to rescue you instead," Sousuke spoke as he repeated his briefing.

"Where is she?" Keiichi questioned without looking up from the floor. He dangled his arms off his knees and kept tucked as his voice belayed his rage.

"She is receiving medical attention," Sousuke replied.

The room was pregnant with an oppressive atmosphere.

"Is this it?" Tessa questioned him with a more subdued tone. She understood the implications that Sousuke had left to hang in his reply. She could read him like a book and could only assume the worse for the beautiful war fighter she had met before.

"This might be the straw," Major Cummins confirmed. He motioned to Sousuke and spoke quickly. "I need to get back to it. Sousuke here knows as much as I do and I am going to get with it," he finalized before turning and exiting the room. "If you all need anything, ask the guards," he spoke quickly to Sousuke before leaving.

Sousuke shut the door, moved to one of the empty couches, and sat. He ran his fingers through his hair before crossing his legs and placing his hands in his lap. He sat at attention and shared a tired look with Tessa. "I'm sorry about all of this," he spoke as he gestured at the room.

"I can't get mad. If it was me, I would have shackled you lot of assholes," she replied flippantly before waving her hand. Her lips cracked into a grin and she winked at Sousuke before patting the space next to her. "Sit Tamiya," she commanded.

Tamiya moved, sat, and continued to stare at Sousuke.

Tessa kicked off her boots, rotated, and lay on the couch with her head in his lap. She closed her eyes and relaxed as she worked to catch a little sleep.

Sousuke leaned back and looked towards the back of the room. He couldn't help but stare at the markings that Peorth wore and gave thanks internally that Urd did not sport such loud markings.

\scenebreak

"Why didn't you let me go?" Kaname growled through grit teeth as she stood with a challenging attitude before Lind.

"Because I was not going to let you die," Lind replied as she scowled at her in return.

"I have human blood. You can't just blow my head up," Kaname spoke quickly.

"She isn't a one trick pony," Lind again replied before sighing.

"I could have killed Belldandy," Kaname pouted.

"I am not confident I could defeat her one on one," Lind spoke as the pair exchanged looks of annoyance.

"I could," Kaname spoke confidently. She scowled, crossed her arms, and grit her teeth.

Lind rolled her eyes but did not reply.

\scenebreak

"Hey!" Skuld cried out as she rushed towards Urd. The pair stood in the bustling lobby of the medical care facility on the Fort. "Is Sousuke here?" she asked as she reached out and hugged Urd.

"No. Marller said he has been tasked with something important. Marller went to grab some drinks. Bell is under going intensive care treatment," Urd gushed as she clasped her hands on her chest and stared at Skuld.

"Holy Bell?" Skuld asked.

"The last report was that she is touch and go. They are trying to get her to stop sending her energy to Belldandy. She is going to kill herself if she doesn't let them work on Belldandy and focus on herself," Urd shook nervously. "I asked them to let me send 'Ele to try to calm her down. They don't think right now is a good idea for me to be present though," she sighed.

"The whole Princes of Hell thing?" Skuld asked with a grimace.

Urd shrugged and nodded sadly.

"Should I ask Noble Scarlet to help?" Skuld inquired as she moved towards a chair, sat, and crossed her legs before leaning with her elbows on her thigh.

Urd moved to sit beside her, became contemplative, and then nodded. "Send her. They will send her back if she shouldn't be there," Urd finally spoke.

Skuld extended her hand and a moment later Noble Scarlet appeared and stood on her palm. "Could you go to Holy Bell and World Of Elegance and provide any help you can?" Skuld asked her.

Noble Scarlet snapped to attention, saluted, and then back flipped off of her hand before vanishing.

"Getting along better?" Urd asked as she pointed towards where Noble Scarlet vanished from.

"Affirmative," Skuld spoke as she nodded her head firmly.

Urd grinned and shook her head. "Affirmative?" she asked.

"Soldiers say affirmative and negative," Skuld replied with a friendly pout.

"Skuld," Marller spoke in greeting as she rounded a corner with three drinks trailing behind her. "Husna is standing outside the operating room right now," she continued to speak as she nodded towards Urd.

The three drinks floated forward and Urd, Skuld, and Marller each grabbed a cup from the air before Marller moved to sit beside Urd. The three women sat in companionable if not nervous silence as they sipped on their beverages and waited.

"I appreciate you letting me be here," Skuld spoke softly as she leaned forward to look at Marller.

"Family emergencies are an acceptable excuse. I heard you are way above the rest of the class in human technology experience though," Marller shrugged. She smiled towards Skuld. "You are really making me look good. They keep saying you are my recruit since I brought you to take the test. Keep it up," she finished with a cheeky grin.

Skuld beamed with pride as she stared down into her cup.

Several hours passed before a white clad military healer approached the trio. "Princess Urd," the woman spoke as she presented a salute and a bow of her head.

"Please. No formalities. Speak freely," Urd begged as she rushed to her feet. She fidgeted nervously as she waved her hand quickly.

"Ma'am, your sister suffered numerous grievous wounds to her extremities. She is in critical condition and is currently in a medically induced coma. We requested assistance from World Of Elegance in putting her under. Thank you," the woman spoke as she wiped at her brow with her arm.

"Is she going to be all right?" Skuld blurted out as she hugged herself nervously.

"We are certain we can save her life," the woman spoke as she averted her gaze from Urd momentarily.

"But?" Urd offered with a shaky voice and a frown on her lips.

"We may not be able to save Holy Bell or her legs," the woman glanced sadly at each of the women before gesturing to a door. "I recommend that the family accompany me for an opportunity to see Holy Bell. She may not live through tonight," the woman breathed with a supportive and empathetic tone.

"No!" Skuld shouted as she fell to her knees. Her cup tumbled to the floor and spilled with a splash as she collapsed onto the puddle with her knees. Skuld appeared as though every ounce of strength in her body had been vacated at once as she fell apart.

Urd gasped, placed a hand over her eyes, and took several deep breathes. "Get up," she whispered through the side of her mouth at Skuld. She dropped her hands, gazed down at Skuld, and nearly shouted. "Get the hell up!" she cried out.

Skuld flinched and looked up at Urd as though she had grown a second head.

"You will not disrespect the memory of Holy Bell or her honor as a warrior. Stand and be with her fully," Urd commanded before reaching down, grabbing Skuld by the shoulder, and yanking her to her feet. "Take us!" Urd demanded as she shoved Skuld towards the door the medic gestured to.

Marller paused for a moment, looked to Urd, and then spoke. "We should bring Keiichi. He deserves a chance to say good bye," she reminded the group.

"You are right," Urd nodded before speaking aloud. "Husna! Come to me!"

Husna exploded through the aether and appeared with a blood thirsty expression. She appeared ready for war as she glanced about the room.

"Husna, send one of your men to gather Keiichi Morisato and bring him here," Urd commanded immediately.

Husna glanced to Marller, bowed, and then snapped her fingers. A moment later the man stumbled into existence beside her and she gestured at him. "As you wish my Princess," her voice was low and respectful.

"Thanks," Marller spoke before turning to face Urd. "I'm surprised you knew that only Husna had access to remove a prisoner from our holding cell," she whispered with a surprised look on her face.

Urd waved her off with her hand before reaching out and pulling Keiichi into a hug. "We need to talk," she spoke firmly.

Keiichi stared at the ground, patted Urd on the back once, and then looked up at her. "Is she dead?" he asked with a cold and detached tone.

"No," Urd replied softly.

The man placed his hand over his chest, grimaced, and groaned as he swayed on his feet. "Just let me see her," he choked out through a cotton tongue filled mouth.

"You need to see Holy Bell first," Urd replied softly. "She may not make it. Let's go," she finalized.

Keiichi nodded and stumbled as he walked. He appeared to be lost, shocked, and devastated. The group hurried through the hospital as they followed the medic to a room guarded by more of the large demonic men.

"Inside," the medic urged them as she gestured to the door.

Keiichi pushed past the group as he hurried inside. He rushed to the center of the room where the floating body of Holy Bell was levitating at chest height. She lay still, her chest wrapped in glowing bandages, and kneeling in the air beside her was Noble Scarlet who was praying furiously.

"Little Bell," Keiichi whimpered the pet name he had given her as he approached slowly with his hands held up tentatively. He slowly reached out and placed his hands on her before bowing his head and moving his left hand up to gently caress her forehead. He began to cry as he attempted to choke out words.

Skuld, Urd, Marller, and the medic stood silently as they watched him. Skuld moved slowly to stand beside Urd, reached out for her hand, and gripped it before moving to thrust her face into her side. She hid her face in her sisters dress.

"You can't die," Keiichi spoke aloud. His hands shook and he clenched his eyes shut tightly. "You, and Belldandy, and I were going to celebrate the day you hatched soon. I was going to buy you a cake," he spoke quickly as he reached down to intertwine the fingers of his right hand with hers. "Belldandy needs you. She loves you. I love you," he continued to speak.

Holy Bell opened her eyes slowly, turned her head, and stared at him with an empty and hollow expression. Her eyes were pure black and she struggled to reach for his face.

Keiichi leaned forward quickly and placed his head near her abdomen. His hands darted forward to grab her struggling appendage and pulled it up to rest on his head. He could feel her finger tips gently stroke his hair and then her arm became too heavy. He looked up to her face and a rage filled groan of impotent frustration over took his voice. He struggled to speak but no words would escape.

Holy Bell began to glow. Her skin filled with light until it was transparent and every inch of her body radiated with energy that over come the eye sight of every person in the room. Her flesh began to bend and refract until she started to crack apart as a piece of glass would if it were shattered upon the floor. She burst into a kaleidoscope of light and her energy slowly faded downwards towards the ground.

Keiichi fell to his knees and tried to gather the multi colored wisps of energy with his hands rapidly. He desperately struggled to collect her remains as the energy rapidly faded away. "Please! Please God! No!" Keiichi cried out repeatedly as he fell forward to lean his forehead against the floor. He began to scream as he clutched his hands in fists. The energy had rapidly faded away and left him alone on the floor.

Urd felt her breath hitch. She drew her arm around Skuld and squeezed her as the tiny Goddess shook silently against her body.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the medic spoke softly as she stepped backwards. She looked to Marller for silent permission to leave the group alone. A look of relief washed over her as Marller jerked her head to the door in answer. She left quickly and shut the door quietly.

"Why?" Keiichi asked as he shoved himself to his feet. He held his chest with both hands as his face surged red and he swayed unsteadily. "Why Belldandy? She never hurt any one," he took several staggered steps to the wall, bent at the waist, and tried to steady himself with one hand against the wall. His hand slipped and he fell forward as he slid against the wall to the floor with a thud.

"God damn it," Marller shouted as she rushed to the door and swung it open. "Medic!" she yelled as she stepped back and allowed the woman to return and approach Keiichi at a run.

"It's not a heart attack," the medic spoke quickly as she rushed to him, snapped her fingers, and vanished Keiichi. "He is experiencing the spiritual crush of the loss. He can feel Belldandy and her pain, and then this. Humans weren't made for these things," the medic shook her head as she provided a final sympathetic glance to the group and then vanished to continue to administer aide to the devastated man.


	22. Ah! A Goddess Is The Bad Guy!

"You think she is dead?" Tessa asked aloud as she continued to lounge on the couch. Her feet dangled off of the arm rest and her head rested in Tamiya's lap. The sound of her voice shattered the silence in the room. She kept her eyes shut and her arms crossed under her breasts.

Sousuke grunted a noncommittal reply. He had grown to dislike Belldandy in their interactions. He felt she was ungrateful, hateful, and knowing more of her history, even vindictive for no other reason than to be so. He calculated the effect that a dead Belldandy would have on Urd and Skuld in his mind before groaning aloud. "I hope not," he spoke through grit teeth and a heavy chest.

Tessa rolled her head to the side to look at him with her eye brows upraised. She had opened her eyes and for a moment she stared at him in disbelief. Then realization flashed through her and she returned to staring up at the ceiling. "You hope that Urd and Skuld are not upset," she corrected him before her eyes darted to Tamiya's face. She frowned, reached up, and placed her index finger in his right nostril.

Tamiya leaned his head back and away from her finger, coughed, and stared down at her as his eyes opened immediately.

"You looked too peaceful for someone locked in a room in Hell," Tessa spoke aloud as she stared back with a blank expression on her face.

"I am with you. There is no Hell," Tamiya explained her reasoning away.

"Get a load of this guy," Tessa huffed as her lips twitched into a smile. She turned her head back to staring at Sousuke and raised her left hand to jerk a thumb towards Tamiya. "You know what he said when Belldandy and her Angel chucked him on the floor in bindings?"

Sousuke grunted a curious prompting and waited.

"Save yourself!" Tessa shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I have never met someone so amicable to the situation at hand," she laughed and then reached up to cup his face in her hand. "Big lips. Big nose holes. Not particularly pretty," she spoke as she frowned at him teasingly.

Sousuke chuckled as he watched the pair. He allowed his eyes to dart to Peorth and Otaki in the corner and smiled as he watched the pair interact. They were leaning their foreheads together and whispering to each other as the pair held hands. He returned his attention to Tessa and Tamiya.

"Did you know that Tamiya can cook?" Tessa asked Sousuke.

"No, I didn't know that. Do you think you could tell me anything else about the attack or what happened to your group?" Sousuke asked as he attempted to steer the conversation towards something more productive.

"He is a real kitchen artist," Tessa replied before settling back into his lap and closing her eyes. She took several breathes and then continued to speak. "I used some kind of spell that Marller shared with me to unbind my hands and feet. I then engaged the Angel as well as Belldandy. It was like shooting a tank with a pellet gun," she spoke slowly as she extended her hands up and out and pantomimed firing a weapon. "I really thought it was all over," she sighed.

"It's awe inspiring isn't it?" Sousuke spoke as he leaned his head back against the backrest of the couch, stared at the ceiling, and smiled. "Urd is magnificent when she wants to be. She has claws like steel. She could crush stones with her grip and rend the flesh from your bones," he grinned maniacally as his breathing accelerated.

"I feel compelled to perform my Sousuke impression," Tessa spoke as she stared at him. She waited until he fell silent and then began to speak. "If I had to describe my girlfriend and a bear trap, I would use the same words. My name is Sousuke and I am sexually attracted to tanks, bombs, and bear traps," Tessa looked up at Tamiya and gave him a curious look. "Sound spot on?"

"Very good," Tamiya confirmed with a nod.

Tessa looked to Sousuke and grinned before continuing. "This tank is beautiful. It can easily kill me. I will have sex with it," she laughed before rolling her eyes and placing her hands over her face.

Sousuke frowned and looked away thoroughly abashed.

"How many did she get before they brought her down?" Tessa calmed herself and turned to look at Sousuke as she asked her question solemnly.

"Hundreds," Sousuke replied softly. He felt respect bubble in his chest.

"God damn," Tessa gasped before placing her hands on her face. "Well, they aren't going to let her come home after that one," she chuckled softly as she shook her head in the negative in a back and forth motion on Tamiya's lap.

"I would assume not," Sousuke replied.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted the pair.

Sousuke leaned to the side and made eye contact with Otaki. "Yes?" he inquired as the pair held each others gaze.

"Why are we being held like criminals?" Otaki demanded as he stood and frowned defiantly at Sousuke.

"Otaki. Please calm down," Peorth urged him as she reached up to grip his hand.

"No Peorth! You risked your life for these people over and over. You could have died! They are treating us like garbage!" Otaki snapped angrily as he snatched his hand away from her and gripped his fingers into fists. He shook as he stared at Sousuke.

"Is there something I can have brought to you to increase your comfort? Blankets, food, or perhaps I could ask them to summon you a cot for a bit of rest?" Sousuke mustered up his patience and attempted to be as placating as he could present as he replied with a gentle offering of his hand.

"No! I want you to show Peorth the respect she deserves," Otaki continued to rage as he took a step forward.

Sousuke prepared to reply but he was silenced as Tamiya placed a hand under Tessa's shoulder, hefted her up, and stood before placing her back down on the couch. He turned to face Otaki and frowned deeply.

"Aren't you angry?" Otaki demanded as he turned his ire on his friend.

"Is Tessa not a comrade of these people?" Tamiya asked him.

Otaki appeared taken aback but he replied quickly. "Well, sure," he stated shakily.

"Is she not here with you? Is not Sousuke? We all are waiting patiently for news. You are not locked in here for punishment but for your protection. Those guards outside that door are not here to keep you or I inside this room but to keep those who would do us harm out! Sousuke is not here because of the kindness of his heart but he is here because not one person in this place would dare risk themselves against the fury of Urd to do him harm," Tamiya grumbled with a forceful din as he stared at Otaki.

"I didn't," Otaki began to speak but was interrupted.

"Sit and relax. You are safe. Ask for food if you are hungry but stop complaining," Tamiya commanded before turning to face Sousuke, nodding once, and returning to sit on the couch where Tessa leaned back on his leg again. He then closed his eyes and crossed his arms once more.

"Not pretty but very smart," Tessa spoke quietly as she exhaled wistfully. She reached up, ran a finger down his cheek, and smiled.

Sousuke watched silently as Otaki took several deep breathes, sat on the floor, and pouted. Peorth moved towards him, lifted his arm, and nuzzled against his chest as she spoke quickly under her breath to him.

\scenebreak

Urd opened the door to the room slowly. She moved carefully as she stood at the edge of the doorway and peered towards the bed that currently held Belldandy. She felt her heart surge into her throat as she stared at her sister. She couldn't bring herself to walk past the precipice and into the room proper. "Bell," Urd whispered.

Belldandy didn't react. She was sitting up in the bed, propped up by a pillow, and staring towards a wall situated to her left. Her long blonde hair was pooled around her body and she held her hands clasped over her lap. Her eyes were open and vacant.

"Is she awake?" Skuld asked from behind Urd. She stood on her tip toes and attempted to find a way to see around Urd as she darted her head back and forth quickly.

"Princess Urd," Husna spoke as she too stood nearby. "I must insist you allow me to enter first," she was calm but firm with her request. The woman reached out, gently tugged on her shoulder, and slipped past her to enter the room proper. She had placed herself between the pair in order to best shield Urd from any aggression from Belldandy.

"Let me go to her," Skuld demanded as she too pushed past Urd, approached Husna, and frowned as the woman blocked her path. "Let me go," Skuld demanded.

Husna paused, considered her, and then moved to the side to allow her to pass. She reached out to place a hand on her shoulder and spoke. "My job is to protect Urd. Be cautious playing with lions. I will not save you," Husna released her grip and motioned towards the bed.

Skuld did not speak. She looked towards Belldandy, took a step, and then closed the gap and stood beside her bed. "I was with Holy Bell at the end," she spoke softly.

Belldandy blinked.

"Keiichi was there too. He said good bye," she pressed. She could feel her lip quiver and she took a deep breath before reaching down with her hands to press them against the mattress.

Belldandy moved slowly. She reached out, snagged her finger tips in Skuld's blouse, and moved with determination as she yanked her body forward and upwards. She balanced her sister on the edge of the bed with her feet off the floor fully before turning her head at the neck and looking into her eyes. "Are you a warrior yet?" Belldandy spoke coldly.

"I'm in class," Skuld replied with a stutter to her voice. She stared fearfully at her sister as she reached up with both hands to grip her wrist tightly.

Belldandy extended her other hand and a blade coalesced as light erupted from her finger tips.

"Belldandy! No!" Urd shouted as she moved towards the pair. She grunted violently as Husna rushed forward, slammed her shoulder into her chest, and extended her hands over her ears. Urd stared at her with malicious intent as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Husna was pumping Enka music directly into her ears. "Let me go to her!" Urd demanded as she reached up and tried to push Husna off of her self. Her hands fell limp and she began to collapse. Husna followed her down as she kept her hands clasped directly over her ears.

"Skuld," Belldandy spoke as she held the knife out in the palm of her hand. "You want to be a warrior don't you?" she asked her with an icy tone to her voice.

"Bell," Skuld whispered her name like a charm in the hopes it would awaken her real sister. She stared fearfully at her as her feet dangled off the floor.

"You are in class to be a warrior? I can do something for you," Belldandy whispered as she pulled Skuld closer to her face. Her eyes were cold, black, and devoid of life. She seemed to not be staring at Skuld but through her. "Are you ready for the best lesson you can learn?" Belldandy asked her.

"Bell, please, you are hurting me," Skuld pleaded as she hefted her leg up and knelt on the bed to release the tension from Belldandy holding her up. She began to struggle but stopped as Belldandy shook her violently, thrust her arm forward, and then back. Skuld gasped as the air in her lungs was violently expelled by the motions.

Belldandy wrapped her fingertips around the handle of the weapon, lifted it up until it filled Skuld's vision, and then span it in her fingers to extend the handle towards her. "Take the knife Skuld," she commanded.

"Belldandy," Skuld began to cry. Her hands shook and she pleaded with her with her eyes. "Stop," she begged.

"Take it or I kill you, Urd, and Husna," Belldandy replied with calm and cold calculation.

Skuld shook violently as she reached up and took the knife from her. She held it with a white knuckle grip as the blade vibrated in the air to the same beat as her nervous system.

Belldandy snatched her hand violently, gripped Skuld's arm by the wrist, and stilled her arm. She stared at her with an even and neutral glare.

"Ow," Skuld whimpered as Belldandy squeezed her wrist with such force the sound of her bones cracking began to fill the air. "You are hurting me," she whispered.

Belldandy tugged her arm deliberately until the point of the weapon pressed against her own neck. She dug the tip of the blade into the side of her throat and a few centimeters of the weapon disappeared into her milk white flesh.

"Stop!" Skuld pleaded. She recoiled bodily from her actions but couldn't escape as Belldandy gripped her mercilessly. Her eyes clamped shut and she tugged away from Belldandy with all of her might.

"Skuld! Open your eyes," Belldandy commanded as the movement of the blade halted. "Open them!" Belldandy yelled at her.

Skuld opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly. The burning of her tears blinded her and she could barely make out Belldandy through the aqueous haze that covered her eyes. She grimaced and tilted her head to try to wipe her face on her own shoulder.

"Push," Belldandy commanded.

"No," Skuld whispered back.

"Push," Belldandy demanded once again.

"No," Skuld spoke louder as she clenched her teeth and snuffed her nose violently.

"I'm telling you to do something Skuld," Belldandy once more demanded.

"No!" Skuld screamed back at her. She released her grip on Belldandy's wrist with her other hand, shifted her weight, and planted her heels on the edge of the bed. She pulled with all of her might until Belldandy released her wrist and the red tinge tip appeared once again.

"Weakness," Belldandy spoke sadly as she shook her head in an admonishing manner. She frowned at her sister.

Skuld shook as she hopped down from the edge of the bed, landed on the floor, and banished the blade from existence. Her rage percolated and she stared incredulously at Belldandy. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded answers as she stared at her.

"We both need something. This was the best way to do it," Belldandy replied calmly. She returned to staring at the wall.

Skuld felt light headed. She swayed as she stared in disbelief at her sister. Her eyes snapped to the trickle of blood slowly oozing from the wound on her neck and she felt a fresh wash of righteous indignation overcome her.

"You know what happens next?" Belldandy asked aloud as she continued to sit with an expressionless face.

"What?" Skuld snapped back.

"You are going to be just as broken as the rest of us," Belldandy replied as she turned at the neck to stare at her again. "Angry. Bitter. Depressed. You are going to wake up night after night screaming and ready for a fight and you are going to slowly forget when life wasn't like that," she spoke evenly and slowly as they held eye contact. "The worst part is, I don't think you are strong enough to handle it," Belldandy finished as her eyes squinted and a look of anger passed over her before she returned to her neutral glare.

"I am strong," Skuld spoke aloud. Her voice was shaky but she held her glare and attempted to exude confidence as the pair generated a heated aura between them. The emotional tension was palpable.

Belldandy flickered her eyes to Husna and Urd and grinned. Her lips pulled back into something more reminiscent of a grimace but her eyes danced as she inhaled hard and exhaled. "Shes going to kill you for that," she projected her voice past Skuld.

Skuld ventured to look back and a worried look overcame her as well.

"Then so be it," Husna replied with a dangerous hiss. She removed her hands from Urd's ears, stepped back, and waited.

"Skuld!" Urd shouted as she propelled herself off of the ground to her feet. She glanced about the room frantically before beckoning Skuld to her. "Come here!" she demanded.

Skuld looked back at Belldandy, pointed at her, and spoke firmly. "If you hurt yourself, so help me, I will kick your ass," she spat.

Belldandy stared at her, pulled her lips into a thin line, and then sighed. "Someone has to stick around to keep you safe I guess," she spoke aloud as her shoulders slumped and an angry scowl creased her forehead.

"Skuld!" Urd demanded again.

Skuld turned to Urd, held up her hands with a placating intent, and then approached Urd. "Every thing is fine," she spoke as Urd reached out and pulled her violently to her chest.

"God damn both of you idiots," Urd spat angrily as she clutched Skuld to her chest desperately. She held her for several seconds before looking up towards Belldandy and then sighing sadly.

"I am not in need of your pity," Belldandy spoke to her evenly. "I only need to know what harm you plan for Mr. Keiichi," she spoke as she stared at Urd.

"Harm? Why would I hurt him?" Urd asked.

"You launched an attack on my home. He could have died," Belldandy spat angrily. "I saved your friends and allies in trade for the life of the man I love," she scowled before crossing her arms.

"I didn't attack any one!" Urd yelled indignantly. She frowned, turned to Husna, and pointed. "Did any one here," she let the words hang as a nervous dread filled her stomach. She paused, thought back, then shook her head. "You didn't attack Belldandy for what happened to me did you?"

"We retaliated in kind for the wrongs she facilitated against our greatest treasure," Husna spoke as she glanced towards Belldandy with contempt and hatred in her eyes.

"I am not," Urd spoke but fell silent as Husna interrupted her.

"Not you. The child," Husna replied evenly. She held eye contact with Urd and gestured to Belldandy. "The order we will desperately defend. The child. The mother. The Queen. All else is of no importance. All respects intended," Husna bowed her head and averted her eyes.

Urd felt herself fill with indignation. She fell silent, turned to Belldandy, and shook her head. "I will fix this," she offered with a pleading tone.

"You cannot fix this," Belldandy replied. She reached down, withdrew the blanket, and revealed her single remaining leg. "I am an enemy of all. Too dangerous to live and too maimed to fight. Either you or Skuld should put me down while I am still weakened," Belldandy spoke firmly. She kept a warriors countenance about her as she snapped the sheet back down over her lower body.

"Oh my God," Urd felt the words escape her lips as she looked away quickly in shame. She looked down at Skuld who she still held in her arms who was now looking back at Belldandy with a sad look on her face.

"Leave me alone while I decide," Belldandy spoke as she looked to the wall again.

"Decide what?" Skuld asked aloud.

"Whether I still have the strength for this," Belldandy replied calmly. "If neither of you love me enough to put me out of my misery, then I must decide what to do," she stated calmly.

"I will send Keiichi to you. You make a choice but we are going to need fighters to teach the new ones. The life you might save may be mine or it may be Skuld. Maybe you can find the courage to keep fighting a little longer," Urd spoke before dropping her shoulders, turning to the door, and ushering Skuld towards it. "We need you," she spoke as she walked away from Belldandy.

Husna followed the pair out of the door and shut the door behind herself without looking back. "Will she be fine alone?" Husna asked.

"If she wishes to do herself harm, no one can stop her," Urd sighed. "Send Keiichi when he is awake. Perhaps you should warn him gently of her predicament and ask for his understanding," she finished.

"What do we do now?" Skuld asked aloud.

"I speak to Sousuke," Urd replied with suppressed malice.

"As you wish," Husna replied.

"Husna?" Urd spoke.

"Yes," Husna inquired.

"If you ever do that to me again, I will kill you with my bare hands," Urd leveled with her with all seriousness.

"I would gladly die to keep you safe," Husna replied calmly. "I am here to build a better world. I do not necessarily need to live in it," she replied easily.

Urd said nothing as she gripped Skuld by the shoulder and vanished in an acrid puff of smoke and energy. She took Skuld with her through the energy field she created.

\scenebreak

The sound of growling filled the darkness and Lester Rockwell woke with a start. He could see the figures of his two dogs as they stood near the foot of the bed. They were shuffling, grunting, and their hair stood on end as they looked about the room and sniffed violently.

"Oh Hell," Lester grunted as he threw back the sheets, rolled off the side of the bed, and reached in between his mattress and box spring. He gripped a cordura strap and yanked his AR-15 rifle out of the bed. He reached through the strap, slung the rifle over his chest, and lifted it up before reaching across his chest and jamming his left thumb into a button on the control plate of his EOTECH sight. A dim red reticule filled his vision as he shouldered the rifle and covered the door with the sight picture of his reflex sight. He grunted as the cold black rifle bit at his chest. He placed his feet in the sandals beneath his bed and ignored the fact that he was naked.

He waited and listened. The dogs continued to whine and whimper as a bright purple light filled the windows and bathed the interior of his home in a muddied mauve haze. He reached up and pressed the button on the weapon sight several more times until the reticule was much brighter. He continued to point the weapon towards the door as he approached the window, placed a finger against his blinds, and pushed lightly before glancing outside. The entire farm was enveloped in a bright purple dome.

"Well that is fucked," Lester sighed before withdrawing his finger slowly in the hope of not disturbing the blinds more than necessary. He turned his attention back on the door, approached it slowly, and moved to the side of the door jam. He hefted the weapon with his right hand, reached out and gripped the handle, and opened the door smoothly before taking aim into the hallway. He shuffled in an arc as he sliced the pie on the hallway and watched as the dogs burst past him and ran towards the front of the house. "Well, there goes the element of surprise," he sighed.

The dogs barked and growled violently as they scrambled through the home. The sound of their tags clicking together filled the air as they vanished down the hallway into the purple haze of light that filled his vision.

Lester took a deep breath and moved quickly down the hallway to follow the dogs. He held the rifle up to his shoulder with his finger indexed against the trigger guard as he gazed through the sight towards the front room. He stopped at the edge of the hallway, sliced the pie as best he could on either side, and then entered the room properly. He could see the dogs staring at the front door with their hackles up.

"Well, ya'll gonna answer it?" he asked the dogs as he grimaced and placed his sight picture on the door way. He jumped softly as a firm knock rattled the door and the dogs jumped and began to bark again.

Another firm knock brought him back to his senses.

"Who is there?" he asked loudly.

"Open the door Mr. Rockwell," a feminine voice replied forcefully.

"I got two dogs and thirty one rounds of 5.56. You might wanna identify yourself a bit better," Lester replied as he dropped down to a kneeling position. He grimaced at the absurdity of his threat but rubbed his right thumb several times against the receiver of the weapon as he reassured himself that his safety was off.

"Lester. I am going to open the door and let myself in," a voice that sounded like Hild spoke aloud. "Sorry for the little situation here but we have a small problem," she continued to explain as the locks on the door clicked open and the wooden door swung backwards slowly. Hild and two female warriors stood on the porch.

The dogs wiggled and wagged their tails as they scrunched and walked towards Hild excitedly. Lester noticed their behavior and dropped his weapon immediately. He thumbed the safety and stood before dipping the rifle barrel downwards in an attempt to cover his exposed body. "Hey hun," he spoke as he gave her a slight wave with his left hand.

Hild reached down and stroked the dogs before grinning at him and flashing him a wink. "Looks good," she spoke as she gestured at him.

"Thanks," Lester replied as he pointed at the doorway. "Can I get some clothes and a little explanation?" he could see bright flashes behind the purple dome from where he stood.

Hild snapped her fingers and he was instantly clothed. She snapped once more and the dogs vanished. "Do you trust me?" Hild asked him.

"I do," Lester nodded.

Hild snapped her fingers and the group vanished. The moment they were gone the purple dome fell and the entire farm was obliterated in whole by numerous Icarus strikes. The property was flattened and left scarred.

\scenebreak

Sousuke stood, turned to the door, and moved quickly. He could hear knocking and he didn't hesitate to approach and investigate. He could see the rest of the people in the room turning their attention on the door as well as he moved. He reached for the handle, twisted, and pulled the door open before a confused look overtook his features. He mastered his surprise and then spoke. "Urd?" he asked aloud as he stared into the face of the beautiful Goddess.

Urd didn't reply as she pushed past him with Skuld in tow. She entered the room fully, looked about at the other occupants of the room, and then turned on Sousuke. "Close the door," she spoke icily.

Sousuke looked through the door at the warriors mulling about and they each averted their eyes in turn. He felt a worrisome dread in his stomach before shutting the door, turning, and looking fully upon the pair who had barged in. He wondered about Belldandy but assumed some event must have occurred that would fill Urd with rage instead of sadness. "What is wrong?" he asked.

"I can't believe you would ask me that!" Urd shouted at him as she clenched her firsts and placed them on her hips. "Sousuke! Answer me and don't you dare lie to me! Did you try to blow up Belldandy?" she growled.

"Yes," Sousuke replied easily and immediately.

Urd blinked for a few seconds and then shook her head. "You aren't even going to try to deny it?" she asked him with an incredulous tone to her voice.

"You just told me not to lie," Sousuke began to speak but he was cut off as Urd slashed her hand through the air at him.

"I know what I said!" Urd interrupted him. "Are you some kind of sociopath?" she asked.

Sousuke began to answer but again she cut him off.

"Don't answer that!" Urd growled.

Sousuke shifted uncomfortably before a look of annoyance took hold in his face. "Belldandy, whether with intent or through willful ignorance, was party to the attack on you and our child. I was party to a retaliatory strike that she was much deserved of. I am not ashamed of my duties to you or my employer," Sousuke growled back dangerously.

"She could have died!" Urd shouted in reply as she pointed at him accusingly.

"She had the capacity to take much more than we were dishing out," Sousuke replied as he flashed her a skeptical look.

"That is what he said," Tamiya spoke softly.

Tessa closed her eyes and pressed her head back into his lap firmly as she fought to keep her features neutral. She clenched her teeth and turned her face towards his stomach before stilling. She wanted strongly to laugh.

Urd scowled but said nothing as she continued to square off with Sousuke.

"Would you have rather I did nothing?" Sousuke asked her.

"Well, yes!" Urd was incredulous at his question and held up her hands in a manner that oozed disbelief.

"I can't do that. If any one tries to bring harm to you or any one I am responsible for, I will retaliate in kind," Sousuke replied to her. He held his chin high as he stared back at her with his lips curled downwards into a frown.

"Urd?" the voice of Peorth cut through the tension. The brown haired Goddess released her grip on Otaki, stood, and provided a curt symbol of respect as she gestured across her forehead. "You don't understand what has been happening back home," she spoke softly before holding her hand down and out at Otaki as he moved to stand. He stopped moving and waited patiently.

"What do you mean?" Urd asked as she whirled on Peorth. She recoiled as the markings on her face finally dawned on her but she regained her countenance quickly.

"You are public enemy number one. Skuld is probably tied with that," She began to explain slowly as her eyes flickered to the tiny Goddess.

"Me?" Skuld asked aloud. She stared attentively.

"They are secretly training someone to kill you all. They have expanded the Icarus project. They ordered Belldandy to kill us all. Look at us!" Peorth gushed before regaining her calm and taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes, relaxed her shoulders, and then began to speak again. "The Icarus strike on your home was just an attempt to see if they could break your egg. A practice run," she spoke softly.

"My child?" Urd asked incredulously. "Did Belldandy know?" she continued.

"Bell spent a lot of time ignoring what was happening around her. She didn't want to believe it. She had standing orders to kill Sousuke and she made enough excuses not to do it that she ended up painting a big bullseye on her own back," Peorth continued to speak.

"For how long?" Urd demanded.

"Sometime shortly after he rescued you from the old ones. They realized how dangerous he was and someone started asking questions about him. At some point, they decided he needed to die," Peorth flashed her eyes over Sousuke and mustered a nod.

Sousuke was unfazed at her revelations and continued to listen intently.

"They were going to kill Skuld. You. Your child. Sousuke. All of us," Peorth sighed as she gestured around the room. "I tried to funnel information to Marller for as long as I could. They got suspicious but one night my markings moved to my face and I knew I couldn't go back," she sighed sadly before reaching down and placing her palm on the top of Otaki's head. She smiled at him grimly.

"This doesn't excuse Sousuke or his actions," Urd replied lamely before turning to face him. The pair held eye contact and Urd felt her anger flowing away.

"Why the egg? It hasn't even hatched yet! It's not even a baby yet! Why me?" Skuld asked aloud. She frowned and clasped her hands over her chest. "Why Holy Bell?" she pressed with a desperate fury.

"I thought I sensed her death," Peorth struggled with a groan as she placed her hands on the side of her head and gripped her own hair. She looked at Skuld and spoke. "There are several prophecies. The least of which is that Urd will grow up to be Queen of Hell. You will one day cause irreparable damage to the Universal Computing device. Sousuke will destroy the planet Earth," Peorth ticked off on her fingers as she shrugged.

"What?" Skuld dropped her chin and raised her eye brows as she stared at Peorth.

"Impossible. I can't be Queen of Hell," Urd replied flippantly.

"We don't think it is you any more. It's your child," Peorth sighed. "They wanted to destroy the egg, kill Skuld, or do anything to disrupt the future," she shook her head.

"Belldandy disagrees with their method," Urd nodded as she thought.

"Of course she does. She loves you both dearly. She wanted them to leave you bunch alone. She believed that their actions would be the catalyst that created the very problems they were trying to prevent," Peorth sighed. "I think that is the case as well. They put into motion the cogs that will lead to the final battle," she grimaced.

"You think they did it on purpose," Skuld spoke slowly.

"I know they did," Peorth nodded. "They are ready to destroy Hell, kill the rebellious ones, and end your mothers little up rising once and for all," she nodded firmly.

Urd looked to Sousuke, dropped her eyes, and whispered. "I am sorry I yelled at you," she sighed.

Sousuke waved her off. "I am sure I deserve it," he replied.

Urd grimaced and shook her head before looking back at Peorth. "So what now?" Urd asked aloud more to herself than any one else in the room.

"I am going to request asylum. Do you think they will take another former Goddess?" she cracked a sad smile as she gestured at her face. She brought attention to her missing Goddess markings as she exhaled a sigh.

"I cannot say for certain but I believe there is space for you around here," Sousuke spoke in reply. "I am sure you have more than enough supporters here," Sousuke confirmed encouragingly.

"Thanks," Peorth smiled at him before dropping back to the floor and allowing Otaki to envelope her in a hug. She clutched him back with the same fervor.

Sousuke turned to Urd and smiled at her. "I apologize if my actions here upset you but you must understand that I will continue to do my job to the best of my abilities regardless of who the target is," he spoke evenly.

"I know," Urd sighed and stepped forward to hug him. She sighed again, released him, and then looked about the room. "Can we improve this?" she asked aloud.

"The situation?" Sousuke asked?

"No, the room. We need pictures or some posters with cats or something. This place is depressing," she replied with all seriousness. She shook her head as she gestured around the bare and boring room.

Sousuke, Tessa, and Skuld began to laugh as Urd shared her gaze among them suspiciously. "What is so funny?" Urd demanded as she glared at the group.

"I will ask that all holding cells be decorated with some kind of cheery scene. I'll even let them know it was a recommendation from the Princess," Tessa replied as she snickered and grinned.

"Thanks," Urd replied with a suspicious cant to her voice. She smiled sheepishly, turned, and made her way to the door before pausing. "I am going to check on Keiichi. Do you need anything before I go?" she asked as she turned to smile at Sousuke encouragingly.

"Negative," Sousuke replied. He moved to the door, hugged Urd, and then reached for the handle. He opened the door and allowed Urd and Skuld to leave before turning back to face his group and shutting the door. "If they let her in here, it won't be long before they let us out," Sousuke spoke before moving back to his chair.

"You think they destroyed Earth yet or something?" Tessa inquired as she pursed her lips and frowned.

"I don't think so," Sousuke replied evenly.

"Well, that's good," Tessa shrugged, sighed, and then stretched and yawned.

"Oh. I do have one more thing," Sousuke spoke up.

"What?" Tessa asked as she returned her attention to him.

"Urd and I are getting married. I asked her and she said yes. After the incident with our child, I now know to inform you and all other friends and compatriots of our happenings. That is all," Sousuke replied.

"You get an A for effort," Tessa replied as she shook her head. She stared at him with a scowl on her face.

"Did I not do as I was asked?" Sousuke asked as he frowned at her.

"No. You did. It's fine. In twenty more years, you might end up being a normal human being. Jeesus Christ! Sousuke I swear," Tessa barked back at him as she rolled her eyes.

Sousuke frowned but remained silent. He stewed as he struggled to understand her displeasure with him.

"Announcements such as weddings and conceptions are times of celebration in the human world as much as in our world. She expected pomp and declarations of joy," Peorth offered from her perch on the floor. She smiled at him and chuckled as she shook her head.

"I see," Sousuke sighed as he crossed his arms and looked toward the ground. "Next time I will be more formal," Sousuke confirmed.

"You are rapidly running out of events to celebrate," Tessa frowned at him.

"Then we will make another baby. I can send you a card after conception," Sousuke offered.

Tessa bit her lip and frowned as she stared at Sousuke. She appraised his neutral face and peered closely. "See. I am sure you are fucking with me. However, I can never tell with you," Tessa spoke softly as her eyes became slits.

"I am fucking with you," Sousuke confirmed as he nodded his head once.

"I swear to God," Tessa grumbled as she turned her head to hide her mirth. "You and Urd deserve each other," she spat as she giggled.

\scenebreak

"Wow!" Lester exclaimed softly as he looked about with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. His eyes darted about rapidly as he continued to clutch his rifle in his now trembling hands.

The space he stood in stretched for miles and was covered by a massive amethyst pocked ceiling that twinkled in the twilight. A perfect replica of his family home stood surrounded by what looked to be acres of tilled and manicured land where his animals frolicked and investigated. He was dumbstruck.

"It's a little rough and sort of a rough approximation, but it doesn't look like any one minds," Hild spoke quietly as she appeared beside Lester. She crossed her arms and grinned as she watched the two dogs rush by at a full run with excited reckless abandon. "They seem very pleased," she giggled as she continued to watch the dogs.

"This is crazy," Lester breathed. He inhaled deeply, sniffed, and then shook his head. "It smells like home. It looks like home. This is amazing," he spoke as he shook his head. He frowned and then turned to look at Hild properly. "Baby, you want to tell me what is going on?" he asked softly.

Hild shook her head in the negative, sighed sadly, and then turned to face her back towards him. "I'd rather not," she whispered.

"I'm a grown ass man. You can talk to me," Lester spoke. He twisted the rifle around his body and slung it behind his back as he approached her and placed his arms around her. He held her tightly and kissed the back of her head as the pair fell silent.

Hild reached up and back, ran her fingers over the side of his head, and then turned to face him. "I feel stupid. I don't know why I am scared to talk to you about this. I shouldn't be embarrassed," she spoke as she stared into his eyes.

"Absolutely. You can tell me anything," Lester replied to her encouragingly.

"You are dead," Hild dead panned as she reached up to clasp her hand behind his head, moved forward, and pulled him into a kiss.

"Right now? Later?" Lester asked as he broke the kiss off to look at her with a look of disbelief.

"The day I visited you and we went to watch the show with the kids. You were supposed to die in the field of a heart attack. You would collapse and they would find you two days later," Hild replied softly. "Instead, you and I spent the day together and I changed your fate," Hild held his face as she spoke.

"So what changed?" he asked her in reply.

"There was an attack on your farm. They decided to clean up all the people they consider aberrations in a single night. You were high on that list," Hild explained as she leaned forward and kissed him again softly. She stared at him possessively as she held onto him tightly.

"I take it I can't go back?" he asked.

"It's not so bad here," Hild offered evasively. She smiled, released him, and gestured around as she began to walk towards the house. "If you want a river, or a lake, or somewhere to fish or hunt, I can provide that," she spoke as her shoes crunched the gravel underfoot.

"That answers that," Lester nodded as he began to follow her. The pair walked slowly towards the porch of the home.

"Are you going to live here?" Lester asked her.

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" Hild asked cheekily. She grinned as she turned her head to look back at him as they walked.

Lester smirked, shrugged, and then nodded his head in the affirmative. "Well, would you like to move in?" he asked her as he took several hurried steps to stand beside her.

Hild laughed and squinted at him before shrugging. "I wouldn't mind living here for a while," she spoke flippantly.

Lester grinned.

"I suppose we could try it on for size," she continued as she smirked at him mischievously. Her eyes twinkled under the soft glow of the stones set in the ceiling above and her teeth flashed white as her pink lips spread into a grin. She turned to face forward and continued to walk.

Lester clapped his hands twice as his dogs rushed towards the pair. "You two need to calm down," Lester admonished them as he clapped one more time.

The animals began to hop and frolic around them while releasing excited baying barks.

"They love it here," Hild spoke as she stopped walking, leaned forward, and extended her hands towards the dogs. "Tell your father how much you love your new home," she spoke with a baby soothing coo as the dogs took turns darting forward to be stroked and scratched before surging away again.

"I have a hunch they wouldn't mind living at the vets office if that meant you were there," Lester spoke with a dismissive wave of his hand. He shook his head and laughed as the dogs sprinted away towards the horse pen.

"Let's go inside and see if I got the interior correct," Hild spoke as she walked up the steps to stand on the porch proper. She opened the door, entered, and gestured around the home. "Well? What do you think?" she asked him as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Looks like home," Lester confirmed with a nod. He moved to the couch, sat, and leaned his head back. He stared at the ceiling for a while as he listened to Hild fuss in the kitchen. The sound of glass tinkling finally brought him to attention and he peered back at her.

Hild smiled at him as she finished filling a glass with tea from an ornate pitcher he didn't recognize. She hefted the two glasses carefully and walked to him before handing him one of the glasses. "Drink it," she spoke before lifting her cup to her lips.

Lester smelled the liquid, grew contemplative, and then drank. He frowned before looking at Hild.

"Don't like it?" she asked.

"What is it?" he asked in reply.

"Persimmon, apple juice, and some of your cold brew tea," Hild replied before taking another large quaff of the drink. "I really love persimmons," Hild sighed contently as she smiled at him.

Lester chuckled, took another sip, and shrugged. "It ain't like momma used to make but it'll do just fine," he grinned before setting the drink down on the table and crossing his legs. He took a deep breath and then spoke. "What happened?"

Hild smiled at him, averted her eyes, and then sighed. "You were going to be removed from Earth with extreme prejudice. I assume they would have attempted to grab you before your soul was entered into the log and then would have been destroyed fully. They intended to destroy every trace of your home, your animals, and you," she spoke softly as she stared at him.

"The purple dome?" Lester asked.

"My shield," Hild replied.

Lester was silent. He reached out, hefted his glass, sipped, and then replaced it before rubbing at his eyes and yawning.

Hild smiled at him. She sat her drink down, moved to sit on the couch beside him, and then reached out to embrace him. She closed her eyes and sighed as she pressed her cheek against his shirt and inhaled deeply.

Lester returned the gesture in kind and enveloped her in his arms. The pair sat in comfortable silence as he worked to understand his new predicament. He closed his eyes and began to stroke his hand over her hair as he formulated his question.

"What?" Hild asked him as she nuzzled closer.

"Is there anyway to say good bye to my kids?" he asked aloud.

"I'll arrange something," Hild whispered into his chest as her lips curled into a grin. She reached up with her left hand, unbuttoned one of the buttons on his shirt, and smiled wide before leaning in to bite the fabric he wore over his chest. She slipped her hand in between the opening of his shirt and began to tug on his chest hair playfully.

Lester reached to her cheek, drew her face up, and leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth.

\scenebreak

"Say something," Belldandy spat as she stared at Keiichi. He had not spoke since he had been ushered into the room and now stood beside her bed with a look of utter disbelief on his features. He appeared to be in shock.

"Why?" Keiichi whispered as he stared at her bandaged stump. "What did we do?" he pressed her for an answer.

"I made a series of errors that have culminated in this moment," Belldandy replied coldly.

"We can fix it. We will go to Heaven together, apologize, and then they will forgive us and every thing will be fixed," Keiichi wheezed as he shook his head up and down. He appeared desperate.

"No Mr. Keiichi," Belldandy replied calmly. "If they ever see you again, you will be summarily executed. I will be as well," Belldandy shook her head in the negative.

"That's not true," Keiichi replied softly. He clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and began to pray. "Please Lord, forgive me and forgive Belldandy for the," his reverie was interrupted as Belldandy leaned over in the bed, reached back, and slapped him across his face.

"Stop it Mr. Keiichi!" Belldandy seethed as she stared at him threateningly.

Keiichi froze. He stared at her with a trembling lip as he slowly reached up and rubbed his cheek. He quivered as he fought to hide his surprise and hurt.

"Skuld, Urd, and you cannot be trusted alone and I must take care of you three," Belldandy spoke with frustration. She crossed her arms, looked down at her legs, and grumbled. "I apologize for striking you Mr. Keiichi but you need to save your groveling. We will be begging to stay here in Hell," she spat.

"We will?" Keiichi replied.

A knock on the door grabbed their attention and both turned their attention on the precipice as it opened to reveal Chibi Hild. "Heya," the diminutive demon Queen spoke as she waved at them.

"She couldn't face me herself?" Belldandy asked aloud.

"I'm, me, big me, you know who I am talking about, is a little busy right now," the tiny Hild clone spoke as she shrugged. "Sorry about that, but she, I, am working over time right now to save life and property," she continued.

"Her boyfriend," Belldandy offered.

"He is more important to her than you are," the tiny demon replied as she grinned cheekily.

Belldandy smiled back before replying swiftly. "Naturally," her voice was icy and she averted her eyes as she felt a tinge of regret well inside her. She had spent many years lording her position of power over Hild and she worried.

"You are probably wondering to yourself, why is she here, and I will tell you why. I have the full confidence and power of my station and am authorized to make all decisions on your future," she beamed proudly.

Belldandy blanched. She felt a fear roil in her gut and flickered her attention upon Keiichi momentarily before steeling herself. "I would like to negotiate the safety of Mr. Keiichi first and foremost," she breathed.

Chibi Hild approached. Every step she took slowly propelled her into the air until she was head level with Belldandy, her feet floating several feet off of the ground. She leaned in close and peered at her. "Are you sure you feel well enough to begin negotiations? You look pale. Paler than usual," she sniffed the air suspiciously.

"I am well enough to save the life of my special someone," Belldandy replied testily. Her normal countenance and self control was slipping from her quickly.

"How kind of you," Chibi Hild guffawed as she took a step back in the air, turned, and faced Keiichi. "Do you want to be here for this?" she asked.

Keiichi clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and began to plead. "Please. Please. Don't hurt Belldandy. I will do anything to protect her," he began to speak.

"Mr. Keiichi! Silence!" Belldandy shouted as she scowled at him. "You mustn't speak out of turn during negotiations with her," she implored him.

"Anything?" Chibi Hild grinned maniacally as she leaned towards him. She placed herself between Belldandy and Keiichi before whispering to him. "Anything I ask?" she continued.

"Mr. Keiichi! Don't answer her!" Belldandy shouted at him as she began to yank herself forward on the bed. She was desperate to place herself in a position to protect him but could only struggle futilely.

"Anything," Keiichi confirmed with a nod. "I Keiichi Morisato swear to do what ever it takes to protect Belldandy," he spoke with conviction as he puffed out his chest and stood defiantly.

Chibi Hild began to clap. Slowly at first, but with ever increasing fervor she increased the pace as she grinned at him. "Mr. Keiichi," she spoke his name as her clapping came to a halt.

"Yes?" he asked her.

"I command you to be with Belldandy for as long as she will have you," Chibi Hild spoke calmly as she side stepped to allow Belldandy to land her gaze on him.

Belldandy frowned as her eyes cast a suspicious glare on Chibi Hild. She scowled, flickered her eyes to Keiichi, and then held out her hand to beckon him to her. She gripped his hand too tight as he winced and moved to stand beside her bed. "Why?" she asked with a harsh tone.

Chibi Hild grinned. She twirled slowly as she drifted closer and closer to the floor, landed, and then curtsied towards Belldandy. "You know why," she replied.

"I do not," Belldandy replied. She took several deep breathes before pointing at the Demon Queen. "You pity me," she spat.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Chibi Hild inquired. She scrunched her face into a wide grin, squinted her eyes, and pressed her fingers against her cheeks until she formed dimples with the digits.

Belldandy felt her patience rapidly fading.

"You are the bad guy," Chibi Hild pointed at Belldandy, paused, and then began to wave her hands ecstatically as though she were revealing a prize on a game show. "You!" she nearly shouted.

Belldandy huffed, clenched her teeth, and felt her vision fading in and out of focus as an overwhelming feeling of insult gripped her.

"Do you know what I am going to do? I am going to give you a home. I am going to handle all of your medical expenses. I am going to treat you like a wayward daughter come home," Chibi Hild laughed as she stood to her full but still tiny height, beamed, and winked. "I forgive you for all the wrongs you did me," she finished with a voice barely above a whisper.

"No," Belldandy replied with a slow and low tone. She shook her head slowly. "You can't do this to me," she demanded as she pointed at Chibi Hild.

"I will treat you so well. I promise," Chibi Hild continued.

"Stop it!" Belldandy began to shout. She pointed at Chibi Hild and her hand trembled as she began to cry. "You are a monster," she yelled. Thick tears began to fall from her eyes as she placed her other hand over her eyes.

"I was always the good guy. You were always the bad guy. Now, when you need me the most, you will always remember that I saved your life. I brought you into my home. I fed you. I clothed you. I comforted you. You were the bad guy," Chibi Hild stared at her with a vicious smirk on her lips.

"Bell, why are you freaking out?" Keiichi questioned her softly as he tried his best to share his attention between the two women.

"I hurt Hild. I kept her away from Urd. I told Urd horrible things about Hild. I was the bad guy," Belldandy sobbed as she covered her face with her hands. "I deserve to be punished in some way. You can't forgive me. You are going to prove I am the monster. There has to be rules or conditions. You can't do this!" she heaved as she gasped for air.

"You are more than welcome to follow all of the rules set for you. You will be a part of this family if it is the last thing I do," Chibi Hild laughed maniacally.

Belldandy heard her words and a feeling of despair over took her. She fell silent, rolled over to face her back to Hild, and laid down onto her pillow. She shut down completely as the words she had once spoke to Hild returned to haunt her. "You win," she whimpered softly.

"Bell. Please," Keiichi spoke to her as he reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder. "Be reasonable. She is doing you a kindness," he continued to speak.

"It begins. I am the monster," Belldandy spoke before shutting her eyes and ignoring the pair pointedly. She drew what was left of her legs upwards as she placed herself in a fetal position.

Chibi Hild inhaled through her nose softly. She could smell the despair, shame, and self loathing that radiated from Belldandy. She reveled in the ecstasy of her conquest. She waited several seconds before moving towards the shattered Goddess. "Welcome home Belldandy," she whispered before turning and vanishing.


	23. Ah! A Goddess Has Guilty Feet!

"Sir! Technomancer Skuld reporting for duty!" Skuld shouted with wild abandon as she joyfully snapped a salute towards Major Cummins. She flashed a glance at Sousuke before returning her attention back on the Major. She fought down her excitement, leveled the expression on her face, and took a deep breath before dropping her shoulders.

"Welcome to the team Skuld," Major Cummins spoke between clenched teeth. He fought down his desire to laugh and winked at her before gesturing towards Husna. "Husna here is in charge of helping you acclimate. You have some weirdness we are going to have to deal with," the Major spoke before flipping through several sheets of paper on his desk.

"Weirdness Sir?" Skuld inquired as her face fell.

"Well, you have to be present for the official graduation this weekend. Don't ya?" he asked her. He frowned as he flipped through more papers. He lit up as he found a document and withdrew it from the pile before perusing it quickly.

"I am to report for the graduation march this weekend. I was hoping Sousuke would be allowed to attend the graduation," she was cautious and hopeful in her tone of voice as she smiled at him sweetly. "With your permission of course Sir," she finalized.

"Hah!" Major Cummins laughed aloud as he flashed her a smile. "Of course he can come. Do you mind if Husna and I come as well? Been a hot minute since we got a new recruit to our unit," he spoke as he grinned at her.

"I would love that! I mean, yes Sir!" Skuld replied with a giddiness she could not contain.

"Sounds good. Expect us there. Hopefully we can all behave and none of us get kicked out," The Major winked at Skuld as he cast a grin at Husna.

Husna feigned indignation and placed her wrist over her brow. "Major, you wound me with these baseless accusations. I, Husna, the most beautiful succubus in Hell, ever risk the ire of our leadership? Impossible!" she spoke as she pouted at the Major.

Skuld grinned and held back a giggle. She looked towards Sousuke before quickly averting her eyes as they made eye contact. He had leveled a proud gaze on her and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. She was ecstatic that she had nearly completed her training and would soon be a full member of the Legion.

"I need to ask you something that is a little personal," The Major interrupted her thoughts as he leaned forward. "Sousuke, beat feet for a bit," the Major spoke as he thumbed towards the door.

Sousuke stood, nodded once, and exited the room. He closed the door on the way out wordlessly.

Skuld fidgeted nervously as she darted her eyes between the Major and Husna. Husna had moved to stand beside the Major and flashed her a soft smile as she crossed her arms.

Skuld smiled back at her momentarily before dropping her eyes quickly. She felt nervous butterflies battering her diaphragm as she tried to take several deep breathes.

"Relax Skuld, this ain't nothing weird and to be honest I feel it really ain't my business. You had a boyfriend, he was named," the Major paused as he hefted one of the papers he had removed from her documentation.

"Shinji. Sir," Skuld offered.

"That's the boy," the Major confirmed as he held up the paper and slapped it with the back of his other hand. "He gave you them things up under your arms," he stated.

"Sir," Skuld shifted uncomfortably as she confirmed his statement.

"Well, I don't know how to put this delicate like," Major Cummins shifted uncomfortably as well.

"Your Shinji is using his tattoo needle on the enemy. We are sure he doesn't know but we think it might be a lure to get you to come out to investigate," Husna broke in bluntly.

Skuld fought to keep her expression neutral as a wash of emotions spread through her. She averted her eyes to the floor and hoped they wouldn't notice as she grimaced in rage. She had spent many nights looking forward to revealing her successes to him and never once thought he may have moved on without her. He had been on her mind constantly and not once had she considered his feelings. She wanted to scream.

"Damn it Husna, do you know the word tact?" Major Cummins growled at the demoness as he sighed. He frowned at her as he shook his head with admonishing intent.

"She is a grown woman. She knows as much as any other woman, if she isn't there for him, someone else will be. No man sleeps alone," Husna replied with a flippant wave of her hand and an eye roll.

Skuld frowned. The corner of her lip twitched and she felt her eyes widen two sizes too large as she stared at Husna. "Is it more than one?" she asked softly.

"No honey! Good Lord Husna, you done made the girl have a crisis. Lord Almighty!" The Major spoke as he stood, moved around his desk, and reached into his pocket to withdraw a handkerchief. He offered it to Skuld as he tried to think of a way to placate her.

"It's all right. I know what I need to do," Skuld sniffed as she took the handkerchief and gripped it between her hands.

"What do you need little darling?" Major Cummins asked her quickly as he bent at the waist to be closer to eye level with her.

Skuld looked into his eyes and her soul burned behind the dark pools. She inhaled, clenched her fists around the hankie, and whispered dangerously. "I need a flame thrower. I am going to burn these cunts alive," her voice escaped her lips with a low tenor that shook dangerously.

Major Cummins leaned back slowly, frowned, and then gestured at Husna. "I think that isn't exactly what I expected," he replied as he chuckled nervously. He reached up and ran his fingers through what little wisps of hair were left on his head.

"I want to invite Shinji to my graduation," Skuld spoke forcefully. She looked down at her white knuckle grip, grinned devilishly, and then looked back at Husna. Her left eye twitched.

Husna grinned.

\scenebreak

"What did you say this game was called again?" Lester asked as he lounged on his couch. He was weighed down by his two dogs and Hild who had all three decided that they needed to lay across him in some manner or other. He had his legs up on his coffee table.

"This is the Gladitorius Velites. It's a fashionable way to reenact ancient warfare. American Football is very similar in some ways," Hild spoke as she watched the game on the television as well.

"Holy shit!" Lester hollered as he watched a shield bearing demon sprint forward, bash his opponent with the wooden implement, and flip the man over his head before swooping downwards to grab the javelin he had dropped. He reared back and launched the weapon into the sky. The camera followed the spiraling weapon until it landed point first in the dirt far in the distance. The crowd erupted into raucous applause.

"Full contact lawn darts," Hild chuckled softly at her own joke as she clapped softly.

"Hah!" Lester replied. He squinted at the beer bottle sitting near his feet, reached out with his left hand, and spoke. "Luke, I am your father," as he wiggled his fingers.

Hild smirked before wagging a single finger at the bottle. It floated upwards and propelled towards him slowly until he was able to grasp it. "Silly," Hild giggled before returning her attention to the screen.

Lester grinned wide, tipped the bottle to his lips, and drank deeply before smacking his lips and sighing. "This is the life," he spoke aloud before reaching down to stroke Hild's hair.

Hild smiled and then tensed. She extended her hand at the television and yelled. "Run you moron!" she cried out as a look of utter disbelief crossed her face. "What is wrong with you?" she cried out before placing her hand over her face. The dogs fussed and began to stress at her outburst.

"Bop him with that shield!" Lester concurred with her as he held the beer high over his head. He began to cheer with Hild as the gladiator punched the edge of his shield into the bicep of his opponent as he reared back to toss the javelin. The player lost his grip on the javelin and it was quickly retrieved before being chunked into the goal zone by the demon with the shield.

"It's about time!" Hild grumbled as she reached out to pet and calm the dogs. She smiled as she looked up at Lester, took a deep breath, and reached down to rest her palm on his knee. She relaxed as he returned to stroking her hair.

"I agree," Hild spoke aloud as the screen faded to what passed for a commercial in their world. An advertisement for military service in The Legion appeared on the screen as numerous demons took turns declaring their loyalty to their friends, family, and every thing that Hell stood for.

"Agree with what honey?" Lester asked.

"This is the life," Hild sighed contently.

Lester smiled as he took another drink from his beer.

\scenebreak

Belldandy scowled as she reached down, hefted a belt, and secured herself in her chair. She yanked the strap until it held her waist tightly, rubbed her hands together, and then reached up to grip the metal bar above her body. She began to perform chin ups at a slow, deliberate pace. She hissed and breathed as she began to pick up the pace.

Keiichi sat on the floor and watched her. He fiddled with an older transistor radio that he had been given by Skuld. He steeled himself and consciously rejected the impulse to sigh. He knew that making too much noise annoyed Belldandy and he worried that the only joy she found any more was in exercise and exertion.

"There. Is. Something. I. Want. " Belldandy spoke each word in cadence with her labor. Her voice shattered the uncomfortable sullenness in the atmosphere and her eyes flickered to Keiichi.

"Anything!" Keiichi replied too quickly and with too much excitement. He had not left the home they now occupied in months and spent much of his time walking on egg shells around her. He placed the radio down and waited for her to continue to speak.

Belldandy frowned, took a deep breath, and then pulled herself into the up position of her chin up. She spoke slowly as she held the position, tensed her muscles, and slowly lowered herself. "I want to walk around our neighborhood," she exhaled the words with a stiff rhythm.

Keiichi hesitated in his reply. He fidgeted with his fingers as he wondered how to tactfully pose his question to her.

"You will walk. I will roll around," Belldandy resolved his dilemma as she pointedly refused to look at him.

"All right," Keiichi offered lamely. He smiled at her, stood, and gestured towards their bedroom. "I am going to change into something comfortable for walking," he spoke as he began to make his way out of the room.

Belldandy released the bar and dropped to the floor. Her chair rattled and she quickly moved it to follow him. "Sounds good," she replied as she began to follow him.

Keiichi fought back his sigh. She still refused to allow him out of her sight.

\scenebreak

"Is your girlfriend coming?" the blonde-haired boy questioned as he grinned at Shinji. He sat at a high top table with a pile of books and papers strewn out in front of him.

"Probably. She gets pissed off when I go anywhere alone. She is really possessive," Shinji complained.

"Yeah, but it's fine because she is smoking hot!" the boy replied.

"I guess," Shinji replied with a shrug.

"Dude. You gay?" he leaned forward and inquired as he shot a disbelieving look at his friend.

"Only for you," Shinji deadpanned.

"I knew it," the boy replied as he reached up to pantomime the act of lifting a pair of invisible breasts on his own chest. He blew a kiss at Shinji.

Shinji grimaced. "Piss off Lee," he spoke as he sighed.

"Don't tell me you miss that Skuld girl," Lee asked as he stared incredulously at him. "Dude, really?"

Shinji shrugged. He frowned, leaned forward onto the table, and sighed. "She broke my heart, man. I have thought girls were cute and I have had crushes. I really loved her, you know," Shinji sighed.

"Yeah, but Nyanda is a real woman, man. Skuld was cool or whatever, but your new girl is like pow!" Lee exclaimed as he widened his eyes and mimed an explosion with his hands. He grinned wildly. "I don't even understand how these girls could possibly want you," he sighed.

"Thanks," Shinji spat as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious. It must be like slipping into a silken glove," Lee continued as he waggled his eyebrows and wiggled his hips in his chair.

"She is pretty clinical, actually," Shinji spoke as he shrugged. "I've never seen her without her clothes," he spoke with an embarrassed tone to his voice as he sneered and rolled his eyes.

"What?" Lee deadpanned as he put his full attention on Shinji.

"I'm serious. She always wears long sleeves, leggings, a skirt, and she gets angry if I even tug on her clothes. She won't even look at me. I would swear one of you guys paid her to sleep with me if it wasn't so depressing," he sighed as he leaned his chin into the palm of his hand while resting his elbow on the table.

"Nuh-uh," Lee squinted at him with a look of disbelief. He frowned deeply.

"I'm not kidding. She hikes her skirt, we go, and then she usually leaves after. It's kind of weird," he spoke. "Skuld used to make us ice cream and we would lay in bed and read manga together. We would laugh and read the story out loud to each other and make weird voices for the characters," Shinji sighed again. He scooted forward, laid his head on the table, and closed his eyes.

"Dude. Sex and ice cream?" Lee asked him as he tilted his head and stared at his friend.

"Green tea ice cream. Every time. No fail," Shinji spoke in a muffled tone as he dropped his arms to the side dejectedly. "I can't smell green tea ice cream without getting a boner. It's Pavlovian," Shinji groaned.

"Dude," Lee replied as he nodded his head with an understanding expression on his face.

\scenebreak

"Drop your arms," Husna spoke as she extended her index fingers towards the ground in a pointing motion and rotated her hips in a circle. "You are too stiff," she spoke forcefully. She wore her boots, her trousers, and had removed her battle dress uniform coat. Her dog tags jingled on her undershirt as she moved with the music.

Skuld frowned and growled before lightly bending her elbows and then snapping them out and back. She rocked her hips back and forth in a momentum building motion before allowing her butt to make a circle. She emulated the motions too quickly and too stiffly as she watched Husna.

"Rhythm," Husna spoke louder. She closed her eyes and slowly swayed from side to side as she shifted her weight. Her hips swayed rhythmically as she swung her butt in wide arcing circles. She slowly shuffled her feet as she turned herself to face her back towards Skuld before looking back over her shoulder. She began to rotate her wrists in circles as she allowed the motions to slide down every extremity on her body.

Sousuke looked up from his documents, looked towards the two women, and felt heat in his cheeks. The pair had made an opening in the center of the office where they were practicing dancing. "Ladies, don't you think you should be practicing this outside?" Sousuke inquired.

"Hell no!" Major Cummins nearly shouted as he whirled his attention on Sousuke. His brow was furrowed and he raised his right hand up before making a chopping motion. "These young ladies are about to go on a mission and they need to practice. It's imperative they get it right and the best thing we can do is facilitate their," the man stopped speaking as words failed him. He frowned at Skuld and Husna, contemplated, and then continued. "Their success is reliant on our support Sousuke. If you can't handle the noise you can work in the dining facility," Major Cummins finished with a huff.

Sousuke stared at him incredulously before a look of realization dawned on him and he frowned in return. "Carry on ladies," Sousuke spoke as he rotated his pen in the air. He returned to his work but shook his head in the negative as his lips curled into a scowl.

"Keep teaching her Husna," The Major commanded as he gestured at Skuld.

Husna grinned, began to sway again, and winked at a very confused looking Skuld.

Skuld frowned, shifted her attention between each face in the room, and then began to dance again. She wiggled awkwardly as she attempted to keep pace with Husna.

Husna sighed, stood straight and moved to Skuld. "Let's start easier," Husna spoke before standing behind her. She extended her foot and tapped Skuld on the inside of her foot until her feet were shoulder width apart.

Skuld looked back over her shoulder at Husna for instruction as she placed her attention on the woman fully.

Husna stepped to her side and placed her right hand on the back of Skuld's knee. "Squat," she commanded.

Skuld bent at the knees and placed her palms on her thighs to steady herself as she stared at the woman intently.

Husna took a step back, moved to stand perpendicular to her, and dropped into a similar position. "Ass goes up. Ass goes down. Coin purse comes out," Husna spoke with a wink and a giggle at her own joke as she began to thrust and rock her hips as her butt jiggled to the music.

Skuld watched her intently for several seconds before popping her hips. She moved her body in several tentative spurts before gaining confidence and wiggling to the beat of the song playing. She balanced herself with her hands as she snapped her butt around.

"Good!" Husna exclaimed as she removed her hands from her thighs and began to move her hips left to right with a slow sway as her butt continued to move in a circular motion. "It's fun! Have fun with it!" she spoke as she began to laugh and move.

Skuld nodded, smiled, and laughed as she began to shuffle, rock, and move to the music. She grinned and looked away quickly as she peered over her shoulder and noticed both Sousuke as well as the Major were watching her intently. She closed her eyes and continued to move as she snapped her fingers to the rhythm.

\scenebreak

"All right," Shinji spoke without enthusiasm as he held the phone slightly away from his ear. He stared into space as he listened to his girlfriend give him commands and he resented her constant meddling. "I wont," he confirmed to her.

The phone fell quiet and after several seconds her voice filled his ear once more. "Well?" she asked.

Shinji blanched. He cocked his eyes to look at the phone as he grimaced. He had zoned out of the conversation. "I love you too?" Shinji offered as he waited with bated breath for her reply.

"I'll see you tonight," she replied evenly.

Shinji released the breath he didn't know he was holding as he listened to the click of her hanging up the phone. He stood, moved to his dresser, and opened a drawer before rummaging inside. He located a small nondescript envelope, opened it, and extracted a handful of photographs. He shuffled them carefully as he began to thumb through them quickly.

Every photo contained Skuld. She was smiling, laughing, and happy in every one of the pictures. He smiled, looked up, and then replaced the precious photographs in their envelope. He groaned before replacing them in his drawer.

The phone rang again and he grimaced as he moved to pick it up. He looked, noticed the name Lee on the small screen, and visibly relaxed as he picked up the phone. "What is up dude?" he spoke.

"Yo, did you ask your girlfriend if she could bring me a date?" Lee asked immediately.

"Yes. She said she doesn't have any single friends," Shinji lied as he his face fell into a scowl.

"Damn," Lee spoke as he sighed. "Well, are you hyped for the party tonight?" he inquired.

"Sure," Shinji shrugged as he moved to his closet and began to pick out his outfit. "I guess," he spoke as he was unenthusiastic in his reply.

"Fuck that. Dude, I am going to get some tail tonight," Lee spoke excitedly.

Shinji rolled his eyes.

"Any ways, you never did tell us, how did you meet Nyanda?" he asked.

"She approached me in the library. I was reading Modern Combat Quarterly and she asked if it was the latest copy," Shinji replied absentmindedly.

"She is into robotic warfare?" Lee asked with a tinge of disbelief in his voice.

"Yea. I guess. Funny thing is, we never discuss it," Shinji frowned as he spoke. He held up a shirt, sniffed it, and then tossed it over his shoulder before continuing to rummage through the rest of his clothing. "Skuld fucking loves robots. If you even mentioned the words Test Driven Combat Development, dude, she wouldn't stop talking," he chuckled as he thought back to their previous conversations.

"Nerds," Lee replied sardonically. His jealousy was palpable.

"What ever," Shinji replied as he finally found a shirt he was willing to place on his body. "Dude. I need to get dressed," he spoke as he tossed the shirt on his bed, grabbed a pair of pants off a hanger, tossed those on the bed, and then began to loosen his belt with one hand.

"Yea. I do too," Lee replied. He was quiet for a moment and then spoke. "Lates," his voice was curt before he hung up the phone.

"This is stupid," Shinji growled as he tossed his phone on his bed. He reached down, hefted his shirt up, and tossed it across the room into a pile. He moved slowly and without enthusiasm.

\scenebreak

"Have a seat Sousuke," Major Cummins spoke as he gestured towards a small table in the cafe on base. The pair stood in a corner of the room. There were no other patrons and the workers were busy in the back.

"What is this about?" Sousuke asked. He reached down, withdrew the chair, and sat as he cast a curious look on the Major. He could see a blue haired woman with goat horns cleaning one of their machines they use for crafting beverages.

Major Cummins waved his hand gently and the floor around them glowed for a moment. "It's about Skuld son," The Major spoke as he frowned. The silence and protection charm was effortless and nondescript. None of the employees stirred as they continued to work.

"Has there been an incident?" Sousuke inquired with only superficially suppressed concern. He stared hard at the Major and his lips curled into his signature sneer.

"We are going to send her to Earth tonight with Husna to speak to her little boyfriend. That kid called Shinji. He is in danger and I like you enough to just shoot it straight. You know?" Major Cummins replied as he appeared many years older. His shoulders slumped and he grasped his hands into tight fists as the pair stared at each other.

"It's not about Shinji," Sousuke spoke cautiously.

"It ain't never gonna be about nothing they tell you. You and I both know it," the Major replied as he shook his head in the negative. He gestured at Sousuke, sighed, and then began to speak again. "He is being used as bait to get to Skuld. They got them selves a real mean bitch sitting on him who is counting down the days until she can twist his head off at the neck," he grimaced, raised his eyebrows, and then chuckled softly. "Shit, she is literally sitting on him on occasion. "

Sousuke allowed his eyes to flicker about the room. He spent a moment watching the blue haired woman stack cups before returning his attention to the Major. "Why send her up there?" he inquired.

"They want Skuld. We are going to bring her and Husna is going to be right there behind her. We are hoping that our girls can get a drop on their girl, give her a good old fashioned boom boom. Know what I mean?" the Major asked as he cast a supportive glare on the man.

Sousuke nodded. He fell contemplative and then asked his question as he pointed at the palm of his left hand with his right index. "What happens when reinforcements show up?"

"They beat fucking feet didi mau*. Truth is we have a little goody that should buy them enough time to hopefully kill this bitch and leave before her buddies up stairs realize she is fading away. Skuld and Husna take her out, we eliminate a pretty dangerous mama san. Every one has a good time but her," the Major shrugged as he flashed a grin at Sousuke.

Sousuke nodded. He frowned, sighed, and then began to speak. "If Skuld dies, you guys can say she went to Earth to rescue her human and turn her into a martyr. A beautiful former Goddess who loved Hild but loved a man too much. She crashes and burns and every one grieves for the poor love sick girl killed for having a heart too big," Sousuke spat.

"Shit. You want to work in the psyops section son? That's a better fucking tale than any of our boys could have made up," the Major laughed uproariously as he leaned back in his chair. He took several deep breaths as he fought to calm himself.

Sousuke seethed.

"Listen here. Skuld wants her little boyfriend back. Husna is a real bad bitch and Skuld couldn't be in safer hands. Believe you me, if I had to face down twenty Goddesses or one pissed off Husna, I would be marching out in front of them Goddesses with a grin on my face and my pants around my ankles," he laughed again.

Sousuke groaned as he shook his head. He turned his attention inward and seemed to have many thoughts churning in his mind as he stared at the Major.

"Questions? You got them? Ask them now because after we get done talking here you know what has to happen," the man spoke as he jerked his chin at Sousuke.

"I know," Sousuke replied with a nod.

"Go home after this. Take your beautiful future wife out for dinner, tuck her into bed, and sit up all night smoking a cigarette in each hand until Skuld gets home. Husna will try to have her back by ten," the Major recommended as he chuckled and winked.

Sousuke nodded, grimaced, and then drew his face into a smile. He understood the intricacies of subterfuge and he prepared himself mentally.

The Major winked one more time before dropping the spell that enveloped the pair.

"Sir, I can't wait until the egg hatches and I can come face to face with my child," Sousuke spoke enthusiastically as he widened his eyes and grinned.

"I can imagine! It ain't going to be long. Listen, what ever problems you and Urd think you are having right now, they will pass," the Major replied encouragingly as he nodded and grinned.

"Thanks for hearing me out sir," Sousuke spoke as he extended his hand, the pair shook, and he stood. "I am going to head home," he finalized.

"Sounds like a damn good plan. Tell the future Misses I said hi," Major Cummins spoke as they both stood. The pair left the cafe side by side in a much more cordial manner.

Sousuke glanced to the woman with the blue hair and noticed her staring at him with an understanding look on her face. He remembered that he could trust no one. He smiled back at her with the most timid look he could muster and exited the building quickly. He wanted nothing more than to make his way home.

Sousuke watched the Major vanish and then walked the final few steps to his vehicle. He unlocked the door with a press of a button on his fob, swung open the door, and entered the vehicle. He counted to ten as he clenched his eyes shut, started the motor, and began the drive home. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he wondered how prepared Skuld really was for this mission.

\scenebreak

"Skuld," Husna spoke her name disapprovingly as she crossed her arms and frowned at the tiny former Goddess. "What is this outfit?" she asked aloud. The pair stood in a room they had requisitioned for staging. It was nearly empty, nondescript, and held a single mirror on the wall.

"My party dress?" Skuld answered questioningly. Her brow furrowed and she frowned as she held out her arms, twirled, and then returned to face Husna. She wore a knee length cocktail dress with a wide flare.

"Are you looking to regain the attentions of your man or do you wish to assist him in purchasing a television?" Husna asked snappishly as she shook her head in the negative. The demoness reached up above her head, extended her finger tips, and allowed her fingers to slide down an invisible line in front of her body as she bent at the waist. Her clothing transfigured at the behest of her motion.

Skuld could feel her cheeks filling with color.

Husna angled her stance, bent the knee of one leg, and placed her hands on her hips as she held a sultry grin on her face. She wore a toga like outfit that was barely there. The single sheet of cloth wrapped around her waist, extended in a curvaceous line up her side, and then covered her bosom. It was made of beautiful purple fabric. She wore bangles on her wrists and ankles with her trademark circlet. "Change," she commanded.

"Aren't you worried someone is going to see your underwear when you are dancing?" Skuld asked her with shock on her face.

"Who wears underwear to a party?" Husna asked her with equal incredulity. She grinned, turned slightly, and shook her bottom. A glimpse of her buttocks appeared momentarily with each recoil of her waist.

Skuld stared wide eyed.

"Change," Husna demanded again as she returned to her pose.

Skuld grimaced, snapped her finger, and she wore the same dress without any midriff covering. It appeared to be a skirt with a tube top. She smirked nervously before holding out her arms in anticipation of inspection.

Husna frowned.

Skuld returned the frown, snapped again, and the skirt became two inches shorter.

Husna rolled her eyes, snapped her fingers, and began to laugh uproariously. "Perhaps this is more to your liking?" she asked aloud.

Skuld stared daggers at Husna. She now wore a yellow rain coat, yellow hat, long sleeve shirt and pants, and rubber galoshes. "What the hell?" Skuld grumbled as she looked down at her arms and glanced at herself in the mirror.

"You make me laugh. You are so pure," Husna spoke as she wiped at her eyes with her wrist. She sighed, pointed, and snapped her fingers once.

Skuld looked into the mirror and her jaw dropped. She wore calf high boots, an angle cut strip of fabric that hung from her waist, and a diamond cut black shirt that barely covered her breasts. A silver chain hung from around her neck, down the center of her body, and ended by wrapping around her waist. Skuld blanched. She turned at her waist and noticed that the shirt had a thin line of fabric that ran down her back before terminating at the skirt.

"Better," Husna spoke contemplatively before flicking her wrist at her. She channeled a spatter of energy and a thin tiara appeared and wrapped around Skuld's forehead.

Skuld glanced at her own face. It was too red and she felt a surge of butterflies in her stomach.

"If the man does not like this, he does not like women," Husna grinned at her.

"Breezy," Skuld spoke as she tugged on the edge of the material in an attempt to better cover her body.

Husna laughed, summoned a thin stringed thong, and held it up where she shook it several times. The tiny fabric undergarment shook and wiggled with the motion.

Skuld held out her hand.

* didi mau is the Vietnamese words for "very fast".


	24. Ah! A Goddess Makes A Hasty Decision!

Skuld took several nervous breathes, frowned, and then sighed audibly. She swayed back and forth and seemed unable to sit still as she stared at Husna. The pair were standing in the room they had taken possession of in preparation for their exit to Earth. "I'm nervous," she spoke as she fiddled with the hem of her outfit.

"Have you not fought before?" Husna asked her. She cast an appraising gaze on the little Goddess before returning to fussing with a curved knife. The weapon glowed for a moment and then vanished.

"I've fought. Hey, why are you getting that knife charged?" Skuld asked as she pointed towards Husna's hands.

Husna smiled in reply. "While you collect your human, I am going to go hunting," she laughed before extending her hand and allowing the sica to erupt into existence. She banished the knife again before grinning at Skuld one last time.

"Hunting?" Skuld asked her cautiously. She frowned, leaned, and looked past Husna to peer at a strange green emerald like stone that had appeared on the table.

"Ah! The party favors have arrived!" Husna exclaimed as she joyfully whirled, picked up the stone, and extended her other hand at Skuld. "Shall we?" she questioned.

"I'm ready," Skuld nodded as she took Husna's hand in hers and the pair vanished without a sound.

The pair materialized swiftly in the shadows just beyond a street lamp hanging high overhead. They could see numerous cars parked in front of a home and the bustle of college students making their way up a driveway and towards the epicenter of the party.

"No one is dressed like us," Skuld whispered as she stared at a group of girls clad in jeans, blouses, and nothing like her and Husna.

"Good. It makes it easier to grab the attention of your prey," Husna spoke with a nod. She reached down, took Skuld by the hand, and began to walk. After a few moments of slow going she turned, flashed a dirty look at Skuld, and then tugged hard. The tiny Goddess moved quickly to stand beside her before they resumed walking hand in hand.

"Every one is staring," Skuld hissed softly as she cast embarrassed glances at the faces of the students and party goers hanging around the entrance. She forced her gaze downwards as a wolf whistle echoed out from one of the male students. She felt like she could spontaneously combust at any moment.

"Hello," Husna grinned and flirted as she moved with confidence between two men holding beers. "Why don't one of you boys get the door for us?" she questioned with a pout as she looked towards the wooden door with a single glass pane in the center.

"Sure!" one of the men spoke quickly as he moved up the steps, grabbed the handle, and tugged. He stared lecherously at the pair as they made their way inside.

Husna paused at the doorway, withdrew her strange emerald stone from her sash, and then tossed it firmly onto the ground. She lifted her heel and stomped. The stone was instantly crushed into numerous pieces. "Say thank you Skuld," Husna spoke as she began to walk forward and they passed the precipice.

"Thanks," Skuld whispered as she hurried into the house. She had been watching Husna busy herself with the strange green stone and had failed to notice the change in the atmosphere around them. The sky above appeared detached and the noises of the city seemed to have faded away.

Husna winked at the man and fought back laughter as she listened to the pair erupt into giddy declarations of admiration at the pairs beauty as he shut the door. She licked her lips as a warm heady hunger filled her gut with heat and she began to dart her eyes around the room.

\scenebreak

"What happened?" Urd asked as she frowned at Sousuke. She sat in the crook of a booth with her elbow perched on the table as she stared at him. She could see his nervousness and it was gushing forward in ways only she could identify.

"Nothing," Sousuke replied quickly. He was bouncing his left leg uncontrollably as he sat with his right crossed over it. He was perched on the edge of the booth staring out towards the other patrons in the pizza shop. He looked up and slid his eyes across the decorations that dotted the walls. An innumerable number of pennants, flags, and memorabilia filled every open space declaring the shop owner a fan of Basketball, European Football, and Gladiatorial games alike.

"Sousuke," Urd chastised him as she cocked her chin and stared at him. "I can read you like a book you know," she spoke softly as her eyes were caught by two demon children playing with a basketball hoop near the entrance. They were taking turns trying to make baskets on the miniature device and laughing loudly.

"I just have a lot on my mind," Sousuke dismissed her before stilling his restless leg and motioning to the empty space around him. "Wasn't Belldandy going to join us tonight?" he asked.

"I'm surprised you are concerned about her," Urd chuckled before nodding. "I guess it takes them a little time to get ready now. She is on the way with Keiichi. What motivated you to invite them?" she questioned.

"Were you upset I did?" Sousuke placed his full attention on Urd and frowned.

"No! No! Not at all!" Urd replied hurriedly as she removed her elbow from the table, sat straight, and then allowed her demeanor to grow suspicious. "I am just curious about you trying to be nice to her all of a sudden," she continued softly.

Sousuke smirked, reached up to his forehead, and then ran his fingers through the thinning hair above his brow. He looked down at the table, darted his eyes to Urd, and then took a deep breath. "I need you to be happy," he spoke softly as the sound of cheering erupted from the children near by. He turned his attention on them and began to stare at the pair as they bounced excitedly.

"I'm happy," Urd spoke to him. Her features displayed her confusion plainly and she frowned deeply. "What happened?" she inquired.

Sousuke felt his shoulders relax and for the first time in a long time he felt himself thankful to see Belldandy. He moved quickly, stood, and waved towards Keiichi as he watched the man hold the door open for his Goddess.

Urd immediately switched her attention on the pair and smiled as she watched the duo approach.

"We are a little late," Belldandy spoke with a huff as she wheeled herself to the edge of the table. She appeared serene and composed in the way only she could as she waved happily towards Urd. "It's been a little while," she spoke softly.

"Hey," Keiichi exclaimed as he reached out, shook Sousuke's hand, and then moved to sit within the booth.

Sousuke moved as well and the group settled in quickly. An uncomfortable silence fell over the group but it was quickly shattered by Sousuke as he spoke. "I ordered for us."

"Great! I'm starving," Keiichi exclaimed as he leaned back, placed both hands over his head, and intertwined his fingers.

"Cola?" Sousuke asked as he placed his attention on Belldandy.

The Goddess hesitated, looked at Sousuke strangely, and then nodded her head softly. "A small one," she requested as she raised her hand cautiously, dropped it, and then watched him.

"You?" Sousuke continued as he gestured to Keiichi.

"I can help," Keiichi replied as he moved to stand.

"It's fine. Allow me. Please," Sousuke replied quickly as he waved the man off.

"Sure. I'll take what she is having," Keiichi replied nervously as he placed his attention on Urd and then Belldandy alternatively.

Sousuke nodded, stood, and approached a drink dispenser. He acquired two cups, filled them with ice, and then filled them with carbonated beverage from the tap. He turned and returned to the group, pointedly pretending he hadn't noticed their stares.

"Thank you," Belldandy and Keiichi spoke in unison as Sousuke placed their drinks on the table before them.

Sousuke raised his hand for a moment before dropping it in a placating manner. He returned to his seat and reached over to touch Urd on the leg before turning his attention back on Belldandy. "How have things been for you?" he asked.

"Different," Belldandy replied quickly. She reached for her drink, took a sip, paused, and then took a deep quaff. She inhaled hard, exhaled swiftly, and then placed her hand over her mouth before averting her eyes to the table.

Keiichi reached out, placed his hand on her shoulder, and then smiled encouragingly as she placed her attention on him. The pair held eye contact before Belldandy leaned over, placed her cheek on his hand, and then reached up to lift his hand to her lips where she kissed the back of it. She released him and he drew his hand back to rest it on the table.

"Bell?" Urd questioned softly as she squinted and peered at her left hand. "Is that a ring?" she asked curiously.

"It is," Belldandy stated with an embarrassed hush to her tone. The Goddess extended her hand towards Urd and revealed the subtle gold band that wrapped around her ring finger. "I know it is silly but I really did want to get married and Keiichi and I just decided we would do the ceremony together. I guess it isn't official but it's real for me," she spoke quickly as her cheeks filled with pink.

"Congratulations," Sousuke spoke as he nodded at Keiichi. He flashed a single thumbs up towards the man.

"Thanks," Keiichi chuckled softly as he returned the gesture with a thumbs up of his own.

"It's wonderful Bell!" Urd gushed excitedly as she leaned forward, peered at the ring carefully, and then reached out to squeeze her hand affectionately for a moment.

"Thank you," Belldandy replied as she looked downwards at the table nervously.

"I'm a little upset you didn't invite us," Urd pouted playfully.

"It was more for me than anything else," Belldandy whispered.

"It's fine. I understand," Urd replied quickly as she perked up and peered over the top of Belldandy. "Food!" she spoke excitedly.

"Thank God," Keiichi spoke up before a stricken look came over him. He peered about at some of the incredulous looks cast his way and he shrunk in his seat.

Sousuke couldn't help but laugh at the outburst as he watched the proprietor of the shop deliver a large pizza to their table. The pie was thin, crispy, covered in numerous toppings, and smelled delicious.

"Please. Enjoy!" the man spoke quickly as he cast a bow towards Urd, turned, and moved back to the counter. He stood in the distance and watched the group prepare to eat.

"He is watching us," Sousuke spoke softly.

"Poison?" Keiichi asked quietly.

"The man just served a pizza to the Princess of Hell. He is waiting with bated breath to see if she smiles. This is probably the most important day of his life down here. I would not concern myself with his behavior," Belldandy shrugged off their concerns before reaching for a slice, lifting it to her lips, and taking a large bite. She chewed thoroughly and then swallowed before gesturing to the table. "Safe," she finalized.

"You two," Urd admonished Sousuke and Keiichi before reaching for a piece, taking a bite, and sighing contently. "Delicious," she breathed before finishing the piece off quickly.

Sousuke took a bite from a piece, placed the remainder down on a napkin, and then moved to stand. "Beer?" he asked Keiichi.

"Sure," Keiichi spoke through a mouthful of pepperoni.

The proprietor of the shop rushed forward as he watched Sousuke stand. "Can I get you something? Lord?" he offered the title cautiously.

"Two beers," Sousuke replied as he approached the man. "The pizza is great. We love it," he reassured the man quickly.

"Right away!" the man spoke before turning, pausing, and then turning back. He snapped his fingers and two bottles of beer appeared in his hands. He quickly offered them to Sousuke. They began to frost over as the beers became covered in condensate.

"Thank you," Sousuke smiled before turning back to the table, placing the bottles down, and returning to the meal.

"Soon," Belldandy spoke softly as she lifted her soda to her lips, took a sip, and grew a little more inebriated from the fizzy beverage.

Sousuke grunted a questioning sound towards her in reply before turning his eyes on Urd.

"Not long at all," Urd confirmed with a nod and another bite.

Sousuke frowned.

"Our egg is going to hatch soon," Urd spoke flippantly.

Sousuke stared at her as though she had grown a second head before reaching out, taking a deep guzzle of his beer, and then forming his words. "Am I the last to know?" he wondered aloud.

Urd laughed and then shook her head. "The egg has stopped feeding off of the energy around it. Soon, it will hatch," she finished explaining.

Sousuke nodded, caught a look of pity from Keiichi, and then rolled his eyes. "Can I be there for the hatching?" he asked aloud.

"Sure," Urd teased as she shrugged her shoulders. "You better be there," she growled at him.

Belldandy chuckled softly, smiled wide, and then erupted into laughter that she slowly stilled into a shoulder shaking mirth. "I needed this," she sighed softly.

"True," Keiichi confirmed as he leaned forward. "Thank you. Both of you. For everything," he spoke quickly.

"We love you both. Bell, I know that things are strained and times are hard. I need you to know that I will and do consider you my family. You are my sister," Urd spoke before wrinkling her nose, reaching for another slice, and stuffing her face in order to busy her mouth.

Belldandy sniffled before nodding her head. "Thank you Urd. We love you too. Both of you," she hurriedly corrected herself before looking anywhere but towards Sousuke.

Sousuke chuckled softly as he lifted another slice to his lips and ate.

\scenebreak

"Oh my God! He is right there!" Skuld froze, placed her hands over her face, and attempted to about face in a bid to flee. She had spotted Shinji sitting on a couch with several people situated near him. The group was currently deep in discussion and Shinji was taking sips from a beer as he listened to them.

"No you don't," Husna hissed as she gripped Skuld by the shoulder, extended her arm hard, and slammed the little Goddess back towards the group. She shook her head angrily as she gestured towards the group. "Do you want to approach him or make him come to you," she asked quickly.

"Make him come here. I can't face his friends. Oh my God, is that his girlfriend?" Skuld blabbered as she dropped her hands, crossed them over her inadequately covered bosom, and then placed them on her hips where she tugged downwards on her skirt nervously. She stared at a bronze skinned woman with long and straight brown hair. She was gorgeous and appeared to be of mixed heritage. African and ancient Roman perhaps?

"Let's go," Husna spoke forcefully as she gripped Skuld by the hand and began to drag her to a cleared spot in the house where several figures were dancing. "When I worked in the market, if times were slow, we were pressed to attract customers with our wiles," Husna spoke softly as she pulled Skuld to the center of the dance floor.

"Market?" Skuld questioned softly as her eyes grew wide like saucers and she stiffened in fear.

"You would use the word brothel," Husna spoke as she paused, listened to the tune of the music, and grinned dangerously. "I'm going to touch you," she spoke softly as she began to sway to the song.

"I would rather you didn't," Skuld replied nervously as she drew her hands upwards with her palms out. In her mind, she was begging Husna to stay back, but Husna took a single step forward. Skuld felt her palms fill with the soft flesh of the woman's chest and she reflexively squeezed before releasing quickly and dropping her hands to her side.

"Have you no shame?" Husna asked as she feigned embarrassment. She looked away from Skuld, bit her lip, and covered her face with the palm of her left hand. She flashed a guilty smile before her lips curled into a dangerous and hungry grin.

"I didn't mean! I was! It wasn't!" Skuld spluttered and begged fearfully as she stepped forward and attempted to impress her apology on Husna. She felt as though her face were on fire and her stomach was filled with knots that made her want to throw up.

Husna dropped her left hand from her face, wrapped it around Skuld's tiny waist, and pulled her in close with a violent seize. The tiny Goddess stumbled lightly and Husna snaked her thigh between her legs as she wiggled and ground against her to the beat of the song. "He is looking," she whispered into Skuld's ear as she allowed her bottom lip to play against her cheek.

"Dude. Bruh. Dude. Bro. Homie. Dude," Lee exclaimed quickly as he reached out, gripped Shinji by the shoulder, and began to shake him excitedly. He was staring towards a small crowd that was forming on the dance floor.

"If you say dude one more time I am going to slap the shit out of you," Shinji exclaimed as he tried to dodge the beer he was spilling as Lee shook him. He frowned at his friend.

"Look bitch!" Lee cried out as he released Shinji and pointed towards the crowd.

Shinji followed the digit, gasped, and dropped his beer. He watched in shocked silence as Skuld danced and gyrated with a black woman he didn't recognize. He turned his attention on his girlfriend and realized she too was watching in silence at the pair.

"Husna," Skuld breathed anxiously as she looked over the woman's shoulders, glanced at Shinji, and then returned her attention on her dance partner. The pair began to find a rhythm and Skuld began to move with grace as she wrapped her arms around Husna's neck.

"Better. Men can smell your fear. Give him confidence. You know this man and have had him before. This is easy," Husna spoke into her ear as she gripped her waist tightly.

"He is looking. But he isn't coming over here," Skuld spoke worriedly as she cast another glance towards Shinji. She was sure they had made eye contact for a moment and her stomach surged with heat as she dropped her gaze.

The song was winding down and Skuld felt she was loosing her chance. "What do we do?" she pressed with a hint of panic in her voice.

"Sometimes you need to remind him of the possibilities," Husna grinned evilly as she reached out with her lithe fingers, placed her palm against Skuld's cheek, and leaned forward.

Skuld froze like a deer in head lights. Her entire body grew stiff and she felt she might fall over as her vision was filled by Husna's pouting lips. She attempted to protest but the simple act of speaking parted her lips and Husna seized her opportunity. She could feel soft lips against her own and a wet tongue dart between her teeth. She tried to reel away from the kiss but Husna held control over her with the hand she pressed against her face.

Husna closed her eyes, reached down to grip Skuld's wrist with her free hand, and slipped the hand on her cheek towards the back of her head before crushing her face into her own. She kissed the Goddess deeply with her painted lips as she mustered her passion in an act of exhibitionism reminiscent of her work before she had died.

Skuld was dumb struck. She watched in horror as Husna leaned back, a single line of spit still connecting their lips before it snapped and she felt wet ooze on her chin. She stared at the woman with her mouth still agape. She shook violently.

"Dude," Lee breathed aloud as he turned his attention on Shinji. "Dude. Does she even like men?" he asked as his mouth split into a massive grin.

"What the hell?" Shinji breathed through his teeth as he stared at Skuld. He was about to move towards her but stopped as he turned his attention back on Nyanda. She wore a look of disgust like none he had ever seen before. "Are you all right?" he asked aloud in her direction.

Nyanda looked towards him, scowled, and uncrossed her legs before pulling herself to a standing position. She flexed her fists and snarled the word "scortor".

"What is that?" Lee asked aloud.

"Prostitute," Nyanda growled as she reached towards Shinji, grabbed him by his shirt gruffly, and marched him towards the two women. She pointedly ignored the party goers around her as many began to watch the exchange.

"He comes," Husna spoke as she moved to stand beside Skuld. She reached down, grabbed the little Goddess by the hand, and held it tightly as she watched the couple approach.

"You come to collect your slave? You whores," Nyanda barked as she tossed Shinji towards Skuld with a jerk of her arm. The man stumbled forward violently before slamming into Skuld.

Skuld felt Husna release her hand and she extended her arms quickly. She caught Shinji and gripped him to her breast as she took several steps back in an attempt to lesson the blow from being tossed towards her.

"Sister!" Husna spoke excitedly. She extended her arms up and out before dipping into a bow. "Another fellow whore! How pleased I am to see you again!" she continued to speak.

"You know her?" Skuld asked curiously as she continued to hold Shinji.

"Know her? We used to perform the same show to attract customers. Did we not sister? You taught me these tricks. Did you not? Deny my lies sister," Husna goaded her.

"I am a Goddess," Nyanda growled.

"A whore Goddess. A whore Goddess who cannot lie. You do not deny me. Sister, I am touched," Husna laughed uproariously as she shook her head.

"Better a whore than a poisoner," Nyanda replied with a smirk.

"Shall we show them how it is done? One last time? Did they not call us the Shadowed Flame? We could ignite the passions of any man with the way we once touched each other. We lived together. We loved. We died together. But you left me sister. You left me on that cross and I have never forgiven you," Husna spoke quickly. Her voice quivered with anger.

"I told you not to poison those men. I asked you not to seek vengeance," Nyanda shouted at her in return.

"Three days sister. I hung for three days and when it was over, I was not admitted to paradise. I was cast to the wayside, though my righteous anger was not enough, I sacrificed myself for you," Husna grinned maniacally. Her muscles rippled and veins surged in her neck and forehead.

"I was nailed to a cross beside you," Nyanda replied with anger in her voice. "I could show you no mercy then, but today, I have the chance to show you mercy. I will free your soul," she nodded softly as she slowly drew her left leg back into a fighting stance.

"I'm going to choke the life from you with my own two hands. You know not what I have experienced. I am stronger than you today as I was then," Husna scoffed.

"No sister. Gaze upon my flesh and despair," Nyanda shook her head as she held a deep scowl. She reached down, hooked her shirt, and hefted her top up and over her head. Her body was covered in tattoos that obscured the majority of her skin. "I am stronger. More than you could ever imagine," she spoke softly.

Husna began to laugh. Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped at them swiftly as she wrapped herself in her own arms. The laughter shook her to her core. "I never touched another man after I was risen. You remained a whore I see. Selling your flesh for your pimp, Earthly or Heavenly," Husna laughed uproariously before reaching behind her back, unwrapping her breasts, and drawing the length of fabric down to her waist where she hooked it.

"You know what these markings mean for me. How strong I am. You still wish to challenge me?" Nyanda questioned her.

"Dude!" Lee exclaimed uproariously as he stared at the two topless women in the middle of the room. His excitement was echoed by several other men. The entire party had surged forward to watch the exchange between the pair.

"Skuld?" Shinji questioned with a pained lethargy. "What is happening?" he asked carefully.

"Your girlfriend has been sleeping around on you," Skuld replied as she contorted her lips in a frown. "Sorry Shinji, but I don't think she has been honest with you," she finalized.

"Oh," Shinji spoke before averting his gaze in embarrassment.

"Outside," Husna spoke. She turned on her heels and began to walk. Her bosom bounced with each step as her lips curled into a grimace and she lead the way to the door.

Nyanda did not hesitate as she followed in tow. The entire party followed the pair outside onto the grassy front lawn.

"Cat fight!" several of the party goers cried out excitedly as they had yet to understand the gravity of the situation.

Skuld moved to approach Husna but stopped as she was waved off. Husna shook her head in the negative before pointing to Shinji. "Prepare him to leave with us," Husna finalized.

"He will die with Skuld and you this night," Nyanda spoke confidently. Her interjection hung heavy in the air. She smiled at Skuld maliciously as she reached up to her thick locks of hair, twirled her wrist, and then pinned her hair up. "I'm going to miss you Husna. Again," she spoke softly.

"Good bye sister," Husna smiled in return as her lips drew back in a wide smile.

Husna and Nyanda stared at each other. Neither moved as the party goers whispered and exchanged glances in a circle around the pair. The dew covered grass beneath their feet squished with each furtive movement and step by the audience.

"Kick her ass," Skuld encouraged Husna.

An explosive noise rocked the crowd as the two women no longer stood apart but appeared intertwined within the center of the circle. Husna gripped both hands around the back of Nyanda's head as Nyanda grasped her arms in turn. The pair vied for position as they fought in a manner similar to two Roman wrestlers.

"Holy shit they are fast," Shinji blurted out as his head rocked back and he stared with his mouth wide and agape at the pair.

Husna stepped in closer, bent her elbows, and then rapidly dropped her left arm to wrap it beneath the chest of her opponent. She used her right arm to rotate Nyanda, side stepped, and gripped the woman from behind around the waist with both arms in a quick and fluid motion before bending at the knees, grunting, and heaving her up into a German suplex. She arced her body and drove Nyanda into the grass, landing her on her neck and the back of her head.

"Jeesus!" one of the watchers cried out.

Nyanda cried out in pain as her body fell to the side, Husna still attached, before being hefted to her feet again and once more slammed ass over shoulder into the ground. Husna repeated the motions several more times until her body fell completely limp and she dangled in her arms like a doll.

Husna released the woman and allowed her to fall unceremoniously to the floor before standing and taking several steps back. She breathed with a quick rhythm before bending at the waist, resting her hands on her knees, and dropping her head in an attempt to catch her breath.

"Husna," Nyanda groaned as she moved to a kneeling position. She spat the name like a curse word as she swayed unsteadily. "How? How can you be so strong?"

"Sister. Gaze on my flesh and despair," Husna repeated the words her friend had spoken to her as she stood to her full height, closed her eyes, and allowed the spell that hid her markings to fall away. Her body was covered in what looked like brand marks, thick and heavy welts streaked her skin. She lifted her face upwards, revealed her neck, and showed the bruises and wounds that traversed her neck.

"What? Why?" Nyanda questioned as she stared in shock.

"Even after I died, they used my body. They violated my corpse, prayed over my carcass, and abused me in ways that could reach me even in Hell. They forced their markings upon me and even as I rejected it, I had no choice. My skin is infused with the hatred, the fear, and the strength of more men than I can count. I am an abomination. You have no chance against me," Husna flexed her scarred fingers, smirked, and vanished. She appeared directly in front of Nyanda with a smile still on her lips.

"No," Nyanda breathed.

"Good bye sister," Husna whispered.

"I'm sorry," Nyanda replied with equal restraint.

"As am I," Husna intoned. Her right hand rocketed upwards and she pressed her fingertips into Nyanda's wind pipe. For a moment, the flesh held, and a massive indentation formed in her neck before Husna's finger tips tore up and into her throat where she buried them into the woman's spinal column. She dug her fingers deeper, gripped bone, and yanked. She allowed the head to rest lazily by her side as the woman's corpse fell to the ground with a thud.

"Dude," Lee was the only one in the crowd to speak. He gestured towards Husna, looked about at the crowd, and appeared to be asking for assistance with the grisly scene he had witness.

"Look," Skuld whispered. She reached up, gripped Shinji by the chin, and forced him to gaze upon his now deceased girlfriend. "You need to see this," she spoke.

"Skuld. Why? I can't do this," Shinji stuttered as his face contorted in terror. He stared at the head held in Husna's hand and he lost control of himself. He vomited on Skuld's hand as his gaze fell to the body on the floor.

Skuld did not flinch as the warm liquid washed over her fingers and wrist. She continued to hold him by the chin. "It's her today. Tomorrow, it could be me. Don't forget that," she breathed.

"What do you want?" Shinji begged as he gripped at her wrist with both hands.

"Do you want to live?" Skuld asked him calmly. She turned his head gently with her hand, stared into his eyes, and waited for his answer.

"What?" Shinji stuttered.

"You can stay here and you will be dead by morning. You can come with me, and then you will live in Hell. Not alive but not dead," Skuld continued. "Shinji, I want to apologize to you. I broke up with you because I was scared. I know this is a stressful event but I want to fix us," she continued.

Shinji stared at her in disbelief. "You stalked me, crashed a party I was at, kissed a girl to make me jealous, murdered my girlfriend, and now you are telling me if I want to live I have to get back with you?" he queried her forcefully.

"Mostly," Skuld confirmed with a nod. "It's up to you. Really," she released her grip on his chin before shaking her hand out towards the floor in an attempt to get his sick off of her.

"Yea. Sure. Why not? Can we at least get married?" he asked her in reply as he shrugged and sighed. He stared at her, frowned, and then placed his hand over his face. A moment later he wiped his arm across his lips.

"Yea! Let's get married!" Skuld nodded excitedly.

"What are you two talking about?" Husna asked. She had approached the pair, spied Shinji curiously, and then raised her arm that held the head in to dab at her forehead with the back of her arm.

Shinji recoiled as he turned his attention on Husna. His eyes darted to the cascade of hair that dangled downwards from her grip, felt nauseous again, and turned away from the woman hurriedly.

"Shinji and I are going to get married!" Skuld spoke excitedly. She reached out, gripped his belt with her hand, and yanked him towards her. He stumbled and flailed for a moment before Skuld pulled him close to her and squeezed tightly.

"Congratulations," Husna spoke softly as her lips twitched. She fought down a chuckle, turned her attention on Shinji, and grinned dangerously. "Are you excited?" she asked.


End file.
